Overfishing: A Threat to Ocean Wealth and Livelihoods

Overfishing in India: An Unsustainable Assault on Marine Wealth

India's marine fisheries sector teeters on the edge of ecological collapse. Despite legislative frameworks like the Marine Fisheries Regulation Acts (MFRA) and targeted schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), the grim reality persists: overfishing has depleted fish stocks, disrupted ecosystems, and marginalised small-scale fishers. The urgent need for a unified, scientifically driven regulatory framework to manage overfishing is clear, yet policy inertia and fragmented governance continue to obstruct progress.

The Institutional Landscape: A Patchwork of Regulations

India’s fisheries sector operates under a fractured regulatory environment. While the MFRA exists across coastal states, its enforcement is uneven, enabling practices like juvenile fishing and the laundering of protected species across jurisdictions. For instance, juvenile fish from states with lax regulations are landed in high-demand markets, blatantly undermining conservation imperatives. Additionally, the Union Budget 2025-26 allocated Rs. 2,703.67 crore to the fisheries sector — its highest-ever outlay — but clear mechanisms to ensure sustainable practices within this allocation remain elusive.

Although national schemes like PMMSY and the Blue Revolution aim to modernise the sector and promote productivity, their ecological safeguards are insufficient. The National Policy on Marine Fisheries (2017) acknowledges sustainability as a core principle, yet it lacks teeth when juxtaposed with the mechanised fleet’s overexploitation of resources.

The Argument: Ecological Costs & Economic Inequities

India’s marine fish yields have plateaued at three to four million tonnes annually, exposing the limits of stock-based fisheries growth. Meanwhile, small-scale fishers — who compose 90% of the fishing population — contribute only 10% of the catch volume, while large mechanised fleets dominate the sector. This imbalance exacerbates wealth inequities, with artisanal fishers unable to compete or access depleted fish grounds.

The ecological repercussions of one-size-fits-all regulatory failure are stark. Juvenile fishing continues unabated, owing to smaller mesh sizes in nets that indiscriminately capture sub-legal fish. This practice has resulted in long-term declines of commercially important species like sardines and mackerel, with spawning stock biomass dangerously below sustainable levels. India risks replicating global tragedies like Canada’s Northern Cod collapse of 1992 or California’s Pacific sardine debacle of the 20th century, demonstrating the peril of prioritising short-term gains over longer-term ecological health.

Technological advancements such as GIS-based mapping and Oceansat hold promise for resource management, but their integration into fishing quotas or conservation policies remains aspirational. Uniform measures, such as fishing bans during spawning seasons, address symptoms but leave structural issues — such as enforcement deficits and ecological ignorances — unexamined.

The Counter-Narrative: Growth & Livelihood Imperatives

The strongest argument against stringent ecological conservation stems from livelihood dependency and economic growth. India’s second-largest global fish production — comprising 8% of global output — supports millions of households. Fisheries contribute over 1% to the GDP and play a key role in foreign exchange earnings, making it a critical sector for economic resilience.

Critics argue that imposing limits like minimum legal size restrictions could destabilise already precarious livelihoods, especially those reliant on mechanised fleets. The Ministry’s push for aquaculture under PMMSY is often positioned as an alternative, but it excludes large segments of traditional fishers who depend exclusively on marine resources. Policymakers must weigh these competing demands against the ethical imperative of sustainability.

International Perspective: Learning from New Zealand’s Quota Management System

New Zealand offers a compelling model through its Quota Management System (QMS), which integrates scientific stock assessments with policy enforcement. QMS establishes total allowable catches based directly on ecological data, with transferable quotas designed for diverse fishing stakeholders, ensuring that stock health, rather than vessel strength, dictates fishing limits. This approach has successfully stabilised New Zealand’s fish stocks over decades, creating a resilient blueprint for sustainable fisheries.

India’s reliance on mechanised fleets could benefit from a QMS pilot. Fishing quotas linked to marine science rather than power-driven indicators would not only conserve resources but also distribute benefits more equitably among smaller players. Kerala’s Minimum Legal Size (MLS) policy, which led to a 41% increase in catches in one season, highlights that practical conservation efforts can align with economic outcomes.

Assessment: A Unified Framework Is Essential

India’s fragmented regulatory regime must give way to a cohesive, science-backed national policy. Measures must include National Minimum Legal Sizes, seasonal closures based on spawning cycles, uniform gear restrictions to curb juvenile fishing, and scientifically mandated catch quotas across all fleets. Only a unified structure can address inter-state regulatory discrepancies and safeguard marine biodiversity.

The realistic path forward demands multi-level cooperation — from coastal states to robust central oversight driven by scientific advisories. The National Fisheries Development Board must leave behind piecemeal interventions and pivot toward harmonised, enforceable conservation frameworks rooted in ecological data.

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