Review of the existing regulations in the maritime states of India in relation to exploitation of fishery resources and their conservation and management

The rapid growth of the mechanised fishing fleet in the country consequent on the boom in the export trade for frozen shrimp, has increased the fishing pressure on the coastal marine fishery resources leading to stagnation of fish catches and economic overfishing. The consequent competition between the mechanised and artisanal sectors for the same resources lead to frequent conflicts. This has stimulated many maritime States to enact Marine Fishing Regulation Acts for purpose of safeguarding the interests of both the indigenous and industrial fisheries sectors. These regulations are examined in relation to judicious exploitation and conservation of the fishery resources. The management objectives are more or less similar in all the States and the Rules formulated ate more directed towards avoiding conflicts between indigenous fishermen and the mechanised fishing vessels. Little attention has been paid to the management of the fishery resources as such. This is no doubt due to the lack of adequate information for formulating definite regulatory measures. The importance of the States* capability to enforce the regulations effectively is stressed. Educating the fishermen about the principles of conservation of fishery resources and the benefits that can accrue to them if the regulations are implemented faithfully can go a long way in persuading them to adopt the methods willingly. Proper extension work along these lines is vital to the success of these management measures