DRASTIC DEPRIVATION OF HUMAN LIFE DURING COVID-19 WITH SPECIAL HIGHLIGHTS OF FISHERIES SECTOR Alita Sharma*, Viabhav Kumar Upadhayay**, Tanushti Ghorai*, *College of Fisheries, Dholi, RPCAU, Pusa, Muzaffarpur, Bihar-843121, **Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities GBPUA&T, Pantnagar, U.S Nagar, Uttarakhand-263 145, Tatroduction The fisheries and aquaculture sectors operate in an increasingly globalized environment. Fish can be produced in one country, processed in a second and consumed in a third, reflecting the sector's degree of openness and integration into international trade. Fish and fish products are among the most traded food commodities worldwide with a significant share of total fish production being exported (FAO, 2021), Fisheries and aquaculture provide nutritious food for hundreds of millions of people ‘worldwide and livelihoods for over 10% of the world’s population (SOFIA, 2020). In India, fisheries and aquaculture are important sources of food production, nutritional security, employment, and income, The fisheries sector is a direct source of livelihood for more than 20 million fishers and fish farmers, contributing INR 1.75 trillion annually to the gross value added to the Indian ‘economy as. significant export earner), The outbreak of COVID-19 and the sudden India-wide lockdown severely affected India’s fisheries sectors, Fishers, fish processors, seafood exporters, traders, fish vendors, vehicles carrying fish all involved in 76 fisheries and allied activities have been badly impacted, Many countries were imposed unprecedented lockdown measures during the pandemic designed to contain its impact ‘on public healt, However, such measures had significant impacts on other domains of bbuman activity, including food and nutritional security, jobs, livelihoods, gender equality and potential social unrest Lockdown in the landing centers and harbors were severely affected the fisher folks in all nine coastal states and four coastal union territories of the country According to FAO, 2021, Global aquaculture production is expected ofall by 1.3%, the first fall recorded by the sector in several years. Loss of work and income, especially for women (processors and fish vendors), ereated a big issue. The government has made proactive changes. The fishing ban period was adjusted for the Joss of fishing days during the lockdown. The economics of aquaculture for the last quarter of the year 2020 has shown a significant decline affecting the livelihood of millions of people worldwide, The government hhas made proactive changes in the fisheries sector, The fishing ban period was adjusted for the loss of fishing days during the lockdown. The lockdown period was adjusted in the fishing ban period by the DOF- GOH oalleviate the hardship of fishers and to protect livelihoods. The wide informality in the sector ‘constitutes an added barrier for fishers and fish farmers to access protection from labor market policies and contributory social protection mechanisms. These might exacerbate the secondary cffects of COVID-19, including poverty and hunger. ‘Status of Fisheries: before Pandemic Global fisheries and a 7 -mail Id: adita.cof@xpeau.c.in aquaculture have been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and could face further disruption in 2021 as lockdown, affect supply and demand across the sector. In 2018, lobal fisheries and aquaculture production reached an all time record of nearly 179 million tonnes, With 96.4 million tonnes, overall capture fisheries represented 54% of the total, while aquaculture, with 82.1 million tonnes, accounted for 46% (SOFIA, 2020), Aquaculture has been the main driver to increase in fish production for the last three decades. However, the capture fisheries sector still remains dominant for several species and vital for domestic and international food security. About 89% of fish production is directed to human consumption, with the rest destined for non-food uses, Dometic cane ot Labour stig {nfernational ca es feunsportations = of fish ih od, a iy er ae a Impact of Covid- . tepeoegeeon, | imei epmoar ‘steps att Auiiliyy makesmpyaaa)) Peg nh eh hak fh SRS J FEBRUARY - 2022 Aqua@Star