Introduction

• Maharashtra is an important maritime state in the West Coast with a coastline of 720 km and potential coastal aquaculture area extending to 10,000 ha. The state also has 16,000 km of rivers and canals, 2.73 lakh ha of reservoirs, and 59,000 ha of ponds and tanks. The average fish yield from FFDA ponds is about 1.1 tonnes/ha/year.
• The constraints in fish production are: unregulated multi-day fishing activity, quality seed and low utilization of resource potential. The annual fish production in state is 5.45 lakh tonnes, and has potentials to enhance this through mariculture, coastal aquaculture, freshwater aquaculture and reservoir fisheries.
• The main source of supply of fish in the district is at present confined to the Urmodi, Vena, Krishna and Koyna rivers. These measures will ensure an annual fish production level of around 7 lakh tonnes, along with the molluscs, that commands a price as a delicacy food in national and international markets.
• With average annual marine fish landings of 3.6 lakh t during 2001-10, Maharashtra is one of the major fish producing states ranking 4th in the country.
• The annual marine fishery potential of the State in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is estimated at 6.5 lakh (Ministry of Agriculture, 1993) while long term potential yield (LTPY) based on the maximum annual landings up to 90 m depth during 2001-2010 is estimated at 5.2 lakh t (CMFRI, 2010). The annual landings valued at about Rs 2,322 Crores contributed 0.5% to the GDP of the state.

State of marine fish stocks in Maharashtra

• Maharashtra with a long coastline of 720 km is endowed with 70 creeks and protected bays and rich marine fishery resources. The average annual marine fish landings during 2001- 10 were of 3.6 lakh t valued at about Rs 2,322 crores contributed 0.5% to the GDP of the state.
• The marine fishery is multi-species supported by tropical species with relatively smaller size, fast growth, almost continuous breeding and low volume (biomass) nature with rapid turnovers. However, marine fishery is facing crisis since late nineties owing to overfishing, urbanization, domestic and industrial pollution and habitat degradation.
• Among the commercially important resources, Bombayduck, silver pomfret, elasmobranchs and lobster resources have declined significantly while vulnerable resources such as sand lobster (Thenus orientalis), Indian halibut (Psettodes erumei) and Karakara (Pomadasys hasta) have almost disappeared and thread fin (Rawas and Dhara) and jew fish (Ghol) are facing severe depletion.
• The marine fishery is dominated by mechanized trawlers, purse seiners, gill netters and dol netters that venture beyond territorial waters in search of fish while small and marginal fishers practicing traditional fishing are deprived of fish in inshore and nearshore waters.
• Mariculture alone may offer them opportunities to conserve and grow fish in coastal waters for their livelihood by adopting capture based aquaculture. fishing communities

Fishing Communities

1) Koli

• Koli, the caste of Original fishermen – The Main occupation of Koli is Fishing. Primarily they are fisherman and boatman. They are adept in various methods of river fishing and are regularly employed as a worker on a ferry. Their connection with water has led to them becoming the water-carrier for Hindus. People of India. Maharashtra.

2) Dhiwar

• Dhiwar, the caste of fishermen and palanquin – bearers derives the name from a corruption of the Sanskrit ‘Dhiwara’, a fisherman (Singh 2004). It has a large number of sub-divisions of a local or occupational nature.
• The ‘Singadia’ or those who cultivate ‘Singada nut’; the ‘Nadha’ or those who live on banks of streams and the ‘Dhurias’ who sell parched rice. A large number of exogamous groups are also returned, either of titular or totemistic nature: such as ‘Baghmare’ or Vaghmare, tiger-slayer; ‘Godhve, a vulture; and ‘Kolhe’ or Jackal. Marriage is prohibited between members of the same sept and between first cousins. In many localities, families do not intermarry so long as they remember any relationship to have existed between them (Singh 2004).
• The occupations of Dhiwar are many and various. Primarily they are fisherman and boatman. They are adept in various methods of river fishing and are regularly employed as a worker on a ferry. They monopolizes growing Singade or water nuts in tanks; also grows melons, cucumbers and other vegetables on the sandy stretches along the banks of streams, but at agriculture proper they do not excel.
• Their connection with water has led to them becoming the water-carrier for Hindus. With the introduction of wheeled transport, these people’s occupation as carriers of palanquins or litters has dwindled.

3) Bhoi

• Bhoi is a fishing community in this area. Bhoi are traditionally dependent upon the river Adan for their subsistence. Due to depleting fish resources their lives are in danger. Bhoi’s the traditional fishermen community in Maharashtra state are mostly found in shoreline areas of the west coast of Maharashtra as well as near rivers, reservoirs, dams.
• Rrom the ancient times these people used to be called as the “Palkhiche Bhoi” the tribe which wander all over carrying the Palkhi of ancient king and their families as the loyal ones. Diminishing the rule of king’s and kingdom these loyal people have returned to their traditional business – fishing.
• This community/tribe is mostly found in District of Ratnagiri, Sindhudurga, Raigad, Mumbai and in mostly all districts of Maharashtra where the fishing occupation is traditional carried out.

4) Gabit

• Gabit are a community found in the Konkan regions of the Indian states of Goa. Karnataka and Maharashtra. In Goa, they are distinct from the Kharvi community found mostly in the south of that state, although they share a similar traditional occupation.
• The Gabits are primarily a fishing community and are concentrated in the northern talukas of Canacona, Pernem and Salcete. They are Hindus and generally live in joint family arrangements, although a movement towards the nuclear family is evident

Scheme-wise utilization certificates-
1. Development of Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture
2. Development of Marine Fisheries, Infrastructure and Post Harvest Operations
3. National Scheme of Welfare of Fishermen
4. Strengthening of Database and Geographical Information System of Fisheries Sector

National Fisheries Development Board –
Object and component of blur revolution

OBJECTIVES

• To increase the overall fish production in a responsible and sustainable manner for economic prosperity
• To modernize the fisheries with special focus on new technologies
• To ensure food and nutritional security
• To generate employment and export earnings
• To ensure inclusive development and empower fishers and aquaculture farmers

Components
(i) Development of Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture.
(ii) Development of Marine Fisheries, Infrastructure and Post-Harvest Operations
(iii) National Scheme of Welfare of Fishermen.
(iv) National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) (v) Strengthening of Database & Geographical Information System of the Fisheries Sector.
(vi) Institutional Arrangement for the Fisheries Sector.
(vii) Monitoring, Control and Surveillance(MCS); Strengthening of Policy and Legal Frameworks and other Need-based Interventions MPSC