Current status of tuna fisheries in India

Tuna fisheries in India have undergone significant changes in recent years. Though the coastal multi-species fishery is the mainstay for harvesting tunas and tuna-like fishes, targeted fishery for exploiting the high value tunas is emerging. Awareness has been created among the stakeholders that the continental shelf resources are more or less fully utilized and that further avenue for development lies in harvesting the oceanic tuna stocks. Fishing capacity from the shelf fishery is being diverted, with appropriate modifications, for harvesting the oceanic tuna resources. The production of tunas and tuna-like fishes has gone up to an all time high of 158,458 tonnes during the year 2008, out of which 24.2% was formed of oceanic tunas and 35% by neritic tunas. Exports of tunas and tuna products have shown remarkable growth with an all time high export figure of 37,302 tonnes in the year 2007-