Strategies for fishing technology development in Gujarat

Abstract

Gujarat is endowed with a vast array of marine and inland aquatic resources. Fishing industry, which has grown substantially in the last four decades with the continuous intensification of fishing effort, contributes significantly to the economic, social and nutritional well being of the people of Gujarat. Total fish production from the state increased from 0.079x10^6 t in 1960-61 to 0.74x10^6 t in 1999-2000, which formed about 13% of the national fish production. A wide variety of fish harvesting systems is in vogue in the capture fisheries sector of Gujarat. They range from simple fishing gears such as barriers, gill nets, hook and line, and bag nets operated from traditional non-motorized and motorized vessels to gill nets, hook and line, fixed bag nets(dol nets) and trawls operated from mechanized vessels. The total fleet size in Gujarat increased from 1531 in 1960-61 to 28706 in 2000-01. There has been rapid expansion of the mechanized fleet beginning from 1980s whereas the strength of the non-mechanized fleet remained more or less the same, during this period. Fish catch per boat per year, however, has decreased during this period, highlighting the need for scientific management of the resources in order to ensure their economic viability, and long-term sustainability and availability for the future generations. In this paper, present status of fishing technology in Gujarat and CIFT's initiatives in its development are reviewed, followed by an in-depth discussion on future strategies for developing responsible fishing in Gujarat. Approaches pertaining to fishing technology, which could be taken drawing upon the guidelines enshrined in the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, for the development of fisheries in the state are discussed in detail.