R8B - Characterisation of Marine Fisheries in TN - PC

Cover photograph : Sorting fish in Tranquebar.
Photo Courtesy Philip Townsley / FIMSUL

FISHERIES MANAGEMENT FOR
SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS (FIMSUL)
PROJECT IN TAMIL NADU AND PUDUCHERRY, INDIA
(FAO/UTF/IND/180/IND)
Work-Package 2 : Fisheries Policy Analysis
CHARACTERISATION OF MARINE FISHERIES SECTOR IN

TAMIL NADU AND PUDUCHERRY
AUTHORS
V. Sampath and R. Srinivasan
November 2011
Disclaimer
The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion
whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) or the World Bank concerning
the legal status of any country, territory, city or of its authorities concerning the delimitations of its frontiers or boundaries.
Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not imply any opinion whatsoever on the part of FAO
or the World Bank, or the Government of Tamil Nadu or the Government of Puducherry.
Reproduction
This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes without special
permission from the copyright holder, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. FAO would appreciate receiving a copy
of any publication that uses this publication as a source.
Copyright © 2011 : Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, The World Bank, Government of Tamil Nadu
and Government of Puducherry
Suggested Citation
FIMSUL (2011). Characterisation of Marine Fisheries Sector in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. (Authors: Sampath, V. and
R. Srinivasan). A report prepared for the Fisheries Management for Sustainable Livelihoods (FIMSUL) Project, undertaken by
the FAO in association with the World Bank, the Government of Tamil Nadu and the Government of Puducherry. Report No.
FIMSUL/R8B.FAO/UTF/IND/180/IND.New Delhi, Chennai and Puducherry, India.
This publication is available from https://sites.google.com/site/fimsul/
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Government of Tamil Nadu

Department of Fisheries
DMS Complex
First Floor, Administrative Building
Teynampet, Chennai 600006, India
http://www.tn.gov.in/fisheries/
Government of Puducherry
Department of Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare
Botanical Garden Premises
Puducherry 605001, India
http://www.pon.nic.in/
PREFACE
Fisheries Management for Sustainable Livelihoods (FIMSUL), is a project implemented by the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with the Government of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in India under the
World Bank trust fund from April 2010 to December 2011.
The project aims at establishing frameworks, processes and building capacities of various stake holders especially
the Government to facilitate the planning, design and implementation of appropriate fisheries development and
management policies.
The project included a series of stakeholder consultations and consensus building apart from detailed review and
analysis in the areas of stakeholders, livelihoods, policy, legal and institutional frame work and fisheries management.
The Characterisation of Marine Fisheries in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry is aimed to provide a picture of the current
characteristics of the fisheries. This along with an initial Analysis of the Fisheries Policy is the base work under the
WP 2 Fisheries policy package under the project. This is followed up by separate documents on developing a tool
box for policy analysis and then analysing different policy options.
This document is meant for the readers and the FIMSUL team members to understand the current characteristics of
the Fisheries in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and is not meant for recommending options at this stage.
The authors are thanked for the detailed work. We thank Dr. Arthur Neiland for his valuable inputs. The FIMSUL
team thanks the successive Secretaries and Director/ Commissioners of Fisheries in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry
during the project period for all the support provided. The support of the Department of Fisheries officers from
Tamil Nadu and Puducherry is acknowledged with thanks. Thanks to Dr. Ahana Lakshmi for editing the report.
Many thanks to Mr. Rolf Willmann, Senior Fisheries Planning officer, FAO, Rome, the lead technical officer for
the project for his constant guidance and support. The team thanks Dr. Gavin Wall, FAO representative for India,
Ms. Renuka Taimini and other officers from FAOR office New Delhi for all support.
C.M. Muralidharan
National Project Coordinator
Fisheries Management for Sustainable Livelihoods (FIMSUL ) project
FAO of the United Nations
Department of Fisheries, First Floor, Administrative Building
DMS Complex, Teynampet, CHENNAI 600 006
i
FISHERIES MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS
2010-2011
National Coordinator : Mr. C.M. Muralidharan
Technical Oversight Expert : Dr. Arthur E. Neiland
Lead Technical Officer – Fao : Mr. Rolf Willmann
LIST OF CONSULTANTS
WORK PACKAGE 1 : STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS & Mr. Philip Townsley

VISIONING Mr. G.M. Chandra Mohan
WORK PACKAGE 2 : FISHERIES POLICY ANALYSIS Dr. Arthur E. Neiland

Dr. V. Sampath
Mr. R. Srinivasan
Dr. Joseph Catanzano
WORK PACKAGE 3 : LIVELIHOOD SUPPORT & Mr. Philip Townsley

BEST PRACTICE INTERVENTIONS Mr. V. Karthikeyan
Ms. SuzannahWalmsley
WORK PACKAGE 4 : INSTITUTIONAL AND Dr. V. Suresh

LEGAL FRAMEWORKS Mr. Philippe Cacaud
WORK PACKAGE 5 : FISHERIES MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Mr. V. Vivekanandan

Dr. H. Mohamad Kasim
Dr. Steve Cunningham
WORK PACKAGE 6 : LIVELIHOODS STATUS AND Mr. Philip Townsley

IMPACTS: KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT FOR CHANGE Dr. Ahana Lakshmi
Mr. Ben Cattermoul
WORK PACKAGE 7 : FUTURE PLANNING Dr. Arthur E. Neiland

Mr. C.M. Muralidharan
ii
Executive Summary
Profile of Marine Fisheries Sector in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the nine maritime States of India endowed with the second longest coastline of 1076 km.
It has 13 Coastal Districts and 591 fishing villages with a total marine fisher population of about 892,000 of which
260,000 fishers are actively engaged in fishing.
The marine fishery resources comprise 190,000 sq. km area within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and a
continental shelf area of about 41,412 sq km. There are 3 major fishing harbours, 4 medium fishing harbours, 6
landing jetties and 363 fish landing centres.
The Fishing fleet strength of Tamil Nadu as of 2010-2011 was 60,583 including 6,700 mechanised fishing crafts
and 54,163 traditional crafts comprising 21,898 Vallams and 32,265 catamarans (TN Fisheries Department Policy
Note 2011-2012).
Although the basic objectives of fisheries development viz. augmentation of fish production and export earnings
from marine products remained the same throughout the Five Year Plans, welfare of fishermen was included as an
important objective during the Seventh and Eighth plans.
Marine fish production in Tamil Nadu went up from 93,280 tonnes in 1961-62 to 404,400 tonnes in 2010-11.
The increase in marine fish production in Tamil Nadu has been marginal over the past decade – varying between
368,000 tonnes and 404,400 tonnes (with a marked decline during 2004-05 to about 308,000 tonnes) valued at
Rs. 40,860 million. Over 90% of the total marine fish production comes from the inshore waters.
The average pelagic fish catch in Tamil Nadu is around 190,000 tonnes comprising oil sardine, Indian mackerel,
tuna, seer fish, carangids, barracudas, anchovies, lesser sardines, shads, thrissocles, etc.
The average demersal fish production is estimated to be 110,000 tonnes comprising elasmobranchs, perches,
sciaenids, silver bellies, pomfrets, soles, flatfishes, goatfishes, ribbon fishes, threadfin breams, polynemids, sea basses,
cobia, balistids and others.
The important crustacean fishery resources are the penaeid and non-penaeid shrimps, spiny lobsters, sand lobsters,
crabs, etc., the average annual yield of this group being 58,000 tonnes.
The prominent molluscan fishery resources are squids, cuttlefish, sacred chank, pearl oysters, edible oysters, mussels,
clams, cockles, etc. the average annual catch of which is about 9,000 tonnes.
Landings of Mackerels and penaeid shrimp showed an increase during 2005-07, but declined sharply in the subsequent
years. In the case of seer fish a yearly fluctuation was observed. Increase in the landings of sharks, Chirocentrus, oil
sardines, anchovies, clupeids, perches, tunnies and crabs was notable. The landings of skates and rays, eels, cat fishes,
lesser sardines, non-penaeid shrimps and cephalopods showed a marked decline during this period. The fishery of
sciaenids, polynemids, caranx, silver bellies, pomfrets and lobsters tended to level off. Almost 61% of fish stocks are
already over-exploited, 28% are fully exploited and 11% is under exploited, leaving a very little scope for further
expansion in the catch from inshore waters.
iii
Almost all types of fishing vessels such as mechanized trawlers, gill-netters and ring-seine units, motorized
gill-netters, hooks & line units, boat seine units and non mechanized catamarans, canoes etc., operate along
Tamil Nadu coast. About 46% of the total catch is from the trawl-nets, about 31% from the gill nets, 13.6% from
tangle nets, and the remaining 9.4% from the other gear types.
Between 67.6% to 89.2% of the fish goes for domestic marketing; 6.9% to 11.8% goes for freezing; Nil to
1.5% goes for curing; Nil to 10.4% goes for reduction; 0.4% to 13.1% is unspecified and the remaining 0.4% to
2.7% goes for other purposes.
Marine products exports from Tamil Nadu accounted for 19.84% of the total quantum of marine products exported
from the country during 2009-10. During 2010-2011 about 84,495 tonnes of marine products valued at Rs. 28,020
million was exported from Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu State has various fishery regulations to guide fisheries management and these are confined to technical
measures like regulating a minimum mesh size for specific fisheries, closed/protected area (Gulf of Mannar Biosphere
Reserve), closed seasons (ban on fishing during monsoon period), prohibition on catching certain species such as
the sharks, sea cucumber, sea horse etc., and which are listed under Category - 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act; and
listing species that cannot be exported below a minimum size. The objectives of the Marine Fishing Regulation Act
(MFRA) enacted in 1983 by Tamil Nadu Government and the Rules framed there-under are “to provide for the
regulation, restriction and prohibition of fishing by fishing vessels in the sea along the whole or part of the coast line
of the State.” When these types of regulations are needed as a part of fisheries management system, many of them
are seldom implemented effectively along the Tamil Nadu coast due to various reasons.
Guidelines for fishing operations in Indian Exclusive Economic Zone and the Letter of intent for Operation of
Fishing Vessels (LoP Vessels) during the late 1990s and the Comprehensive Marine Fishing Policy (CMFP) 2004
notified by the Government of India, are the three instruments which influence the marine fisheries policy and
fisheries management in the State.
There are no effective, administrative systems to support improved fisheries management performance. Community
management of marine resources is in vogue in selected coastal areas of Ramnad and Tuticorin districts.
The Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast and the coastal waters are experiencing severe pollution due to dumping
of fly ash from coal fired thermal power plants, discharge of untreated sewage and industrial effluents. Shoreline
changes due to new port developments, are other threats to the coastal marine ecosystem and their resources. The
impact of environmental degradation on fisheries in the Bay of Bengal is, as yet, slight or, at worst, moderate.
Little is known in detail about the structure and composition of the fishing community because they were mainly
insular. Out of 790,408 fishers (as per Marine Fisheries Census 2005- CMFRI, 2006), 527,574 fishers are literate.
There are a host of Marine Fisheries Development Programmes and Fishers’ Welfare and Relief Programmes being
implemented in Tamil Nadu for which a budgetary allocation of Rs. 5,577 million has been provided for the 11th
Five Year Plan period (2007-12).
A number of major issues impacting the Inshore fish stocks, small-scale marine capture fisheries, processing and
marketing have been identified and listed out in the report.
iv
Profile of Marine Fisheries Sector in Puducherry
Puducherry has a coastline of 45 km, with a continental shelf area of about 1000 sq. km. Out of this, about 44 km
length of coastline falls in the Puducherry and Karaikal regions covering an area of about 900 sq. km within the
continental shelf. Out of a total of 43,028 fishermen population, 10,341 are active fishermen.
The major objectives of the fisheries development programmes in Puducherry are to augment marine and inland fish
production and to improve the socio-economic conditions of the fishing community thereby generating employment
opportunity.
The total marine fish production of the UT of Puducherry in the year 2010-11 was 39,000 tonnes, down from
42,800 tonnes during 2003-04. Different types of fishing gears are used by the fishermen of Puducherry and Karaikal
regions for exploiting different types of fishes.
Pelagic fishes contribute to 55.95% of the total catch followed by demersal finfish species (14.49%). The major
fish species representing the fish landings along Puducherry coast are sardines including oil sardines, Indian
mackerel, seer fish, pomfrets, carangids, perches (sea bass and leognaths), flat fishes, mullets, crockers, penaeid and
non-penaeid shrimps, crabs, squids and cuttle fish, etc.
The fishery of sciaenids and red mullets is declining; the fishery of oil sardines, anchovies, polynemids, perches,
Indian mackerels, and shrimps is stable; and the fishery of other sardines, carangids, silver bellies, seer fish, etc., is
improving.
Mechanised trawl nets contribute to about 44% of the total marine fish landings, followed by drift gill nets (30%)
and gill nets (22%). Almost 61% of fish stocks are already over-exploited, 28% are fully exploited and 11% is under
exploited, leaving a very little scope for further expansion in the catch from inshore waters.
All small boats and catamarans with low sea worthiness undertake single day fishing with varying voyage times
depending on the season and the fishery resource which they target. The larger mechanized vessels like the bigger
wooden trawlers and gill netters undertake both single and multi-day fishing operations.
Within the UT of Puducherry 80% of the total fish production is consumed fresh. Approximately 19% of the total
catch is processed and less that 1% is marketed in frozen condition.
As in the case of Tamil Nadu, the Puducherry Marine Fishing Regulation Act 2008 and Rules 2009, have the
prescriptions for regulating and managing marine fishing operations in Puducherry’s territorial waters.
The UT of Puducherry does not have an exclusive fishery policy. For all practical purposes, the measures spelt out
in the Comprehensive Marine Fishing Policy, 2004 of the Government of India are complied with.
There are 11 schemes in the fisheries sector of Puducherry, of which 7 relate to marine fisheries development, welfare
and related activities, for which a total 11th Five Year Plan outlay of Rs. 1105.775 million has been approved by the
Planning Commission. Out of this, Rs. 720.675 million is towards the programmes for welfare of fishermen, which
constitutes about 65% of the total outlay. Virtually there is no budgetary provision available for marine fisheries
management in Puducherry during the 11th Five Year Plan period.
v
Conclusion
Tamil Nadu and Puducherry face considerable challenges in the development and management of its marine fishery
resources for a number of reasons, some of which are:
• open access nature of marine fisheries,
• over-emphasis on fishers welfare,
• over-dependence on the fish catch for fishermen’s subsistence in the absence of alternate avenues for employment,
• promotion of deep sea fishing leading to adverse impacts on near shore resources,
• over-capitalisation and new entrants in the capture fisheries sector exerting pressure on the fishery resources,
leading to inter-sectoral conflicts and clashes,
• insufficient post-harvest infrastructure, market support, etc.
If the marine fishery resources of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are to be managed and developed in a sustainable
manner, these issues need to be addressed by putting in place a comprehensive marine fisheries policy and appropriate
fisheries management options in the future.
vi
Contents
Preface.............................................................................................................................................................. i
List of Consultants......................................................................................................................................... ii
Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... iii
1. Profile of Marine Fisheries Sector in Tamil Nadu. ................................................................................................. 1
1.1 General Information....................................................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Objectives of Fisheries Department................................................................................................................................ 2
1.3 Marine Fisheries Resources............................................................................................................................................. 2
1.4 Marine Fish Production................................................................................................................................................. 3
1.5 Fish Utilisation and Trade.............................................................................................................................................. 5
1.6 Current fisheries management system in Tamil Nadu.................................................................................................... 6
1.7 Performance of fisheries policy and fisheries management............................................................................................. 6
1.8 Environmental factors affecting fisheries ....................................................................................................................... 7
1.9 Structure and organisation of fishing communities, stakeholder sectoral institutions and their performance................. 8
1.10 Employment and Livelihoods......................................................................................................................................... 9
1.11 Marine Fisheries Schemes/Programmes.......................................................................................................................... 9
1.11.1 Development and Management Programmes................................................................................................................. 9
1.11.2 Infrastructure Facilities................................................................................................................................................. 11
1.11.3 Fishers’ Welfare Programmes........................................................................................................................................ 13
1.11.4 Fishermen Relief Schemes............................................................................................................................................ 14
1.11.5 Special Projects............................................................................................................................................................. 15
1.11.6 Budget allocation for fisheries development in T. Nadu ............................................................................................. 16
1.11.7 Major Issues................................................................................................................................................................. 17
2. Profile of Marine Fisheries Sector in Puducherry................................................................................................. 18
2.1 General information..................................................................................................................................................... 18
2.2 Objectives of Fisheries Department.............................................................................................................................. 18
2.3 Marine Fisheries Resources........................................................................................................................................... 18
vii
2.4 Marine Fish Production............................................................................................................................................... 19
2.5 Fish Utilisation and Trade............................................................................................................................................ 20
2.6 Current fisheries management system in Tamil Nadu.................................................................................................. 20
2.7 Performance of fisheries policy and fisheries management........................................................................................... 21
2.8 Environmental factors affecting fisheries ..................................................................................................................... 21
2.9 Structure and organisation of fishing communities, stakeholder sectoral institutions and their performance ............. 21
2.10 Employment and Livelihoods....................................................................................................................................... 22
2.11 Marine Fisheries, Fishers’ Welfare and related Programmes ........................................................................................ 22
2.12 Budget allocation for fisheries development in Puducherry.......................................................................................... 23
2.13 Major Issues................................................................................................................................................................. 24
3. Concluding remarks.......................................................................................................................................................... 25
Bibliography.......................................................................................................................................................................... 26
Tables 1-5............................................................................................................................................................................... 27
viii
1. Profile of Marine Fisheries Sector in Tamil Nadu

1.1 General Information
With 32 districts and an area of 130,058 sq km, Tamil Nadu is situated on the southeastern side of the Indian
peninsula. Bounded on the east by the Bay of Bengal, in the south by the Indian Ocean, in the west by the States
of Kerala and Karnataka and the north by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, the State has a population of about
72 million (2011 Census). The geographical features can broadly be divided into two distinct areas: the eastern
coastal plain and the hilly region along the north and the west. The State has a literacy rate of 63.72% with 74.88%
among males and 52.29% among females.
Tamil Nadu is one of the nine maritime States of India endowed with the second longest coastline of 1,076 km.
It has 13 Coastal Districts and 591 fishing villages with a total marine fisher population of about 892,000 (more
than 1% of the total population of the State) of which 260,000 fishers are actively engaged in fishing. There are
about 1,000 primary marine fisher cooperative societies.
The marine fishery resources comprise 190,000 sq. km area within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and a
continental shelf area of about 41,412 sq km (Tamil Nadu Fisheries Policy Note, 2011-12). There are 3 major
fishing harbours, 4 medium fishing harbours, 6 landing jetties and 363 fish landing centres.
The fishing fleet strength of Tamil Nadu as of 2010-2011 was 60,863 including 6,700 mechanised fishing crafts
and 54,163 traditional crafts comprising 21,898 Vallams and 32,265 catamarans (TN Fisheries Department Policy
Note 2011-2012). However, as per the information contained in the Marine Fisheries Census, 2005 carried out
by the CMFRI, the total number of mechanised fishing craft in Tamil Nadu was 7,711 and the traditional craft
(including motorized craft) 46,709, thus totalling 54,420. Between 2005 and 2010, there appears to be an increase
of 6,443 numbers of fishing craft, particularly in the traditional sector. There is also a miss match in the number of
mechanised fishing craft as reported by the Tamil Nadu fisheries and that reported in the CMFRI’s Marine Fisheries
Census, 2005.
Tamil Nadu ranks third in Marine fish production and the annual marine fish catch for the year 2010-11 was
440,400 tonnes (TN Fisheries Policy Note 2011-2012). The State has the potential to emerge as a major exporter
of marine products. During 2010-2011, about 84,495 tonnes of marine products valued at Rs. 28,020 million was
exported from Tamil Nadu. The fishery resources in the inshore areas have been overexploited, whereas the offshore
/deep sea resources are yet to be tapped to sustainable levels.
The prime responsibility of the Department is to judiciously balance and enhance fish production with sustained
conservation of resources as well as to improve the socio-economic standards of the fishermen (Tamil Nadu Fisheries
Policy Note, 2010-12).
Though perhaps not contributing significantly to the gross domestic product, the fisheries sector can be considered to
be a major driver of the coastal economy in the rural context by virtue of being an important source of employment,
income and food security. Four major classes of fishing related activity can be recognized:
• Capture,
• Post harvest (transport, storage, processing),
• Culture (mainly shrimp aquaculture) and
• Others (including boat and net manufacture and repair).
Overall, in most traditional small scale fishing communities the men go into the sea to harvest fish, while the post
harvest activities of retail as well as processing are done mostly by women. Within the sector, there are many kinds
of craft and gear combinations depending on the kind of fish that are caught and these define the ownership and
lead actors as well.
1
Characterisation of Marine Fisheries Sector in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry
1.2 Objectives of Fisheries Department

The objectives of the Fisheries Department as outlined in the Fisheries Policy Note 2011-2012 are:
²² To conserve the fishery wealth of the State and manage the resources for sustainable fish production.
²² To encourage fishers to focus on the under-utilised fishery resources and to reduce the fishing pressure in the
inshore areas.
²² To strengthen the infrastructure facilities for fish landing and marketing.
²² To uplift the socio-economic status of the fishers.
²² To promote sustainable, eco-friendly aquaculture practices.
²² To generate rural employment opportunities in Fisheries and allied activities.

²² To promote exports and thereby increase foreign exchange earnings.
Although the basic objectives of fisheries development viz. augmentation of fish production and export earnings
from marine products remained the same throughout the Five Year Plans, welfare of fishermen was included as
an important objective during the Seventh and Eighth Five Tear Plans. The development strategy was accordingly
oriented towards modernisation of the traditional and mechanised sector and the introduction of a judicious mix
of resource specific deep-sea fishing vessels through charter, joint venture, 100% EOU, etc. This helped in the
optimum exploitation of fisheries resources in the EEZ and increasing exports besides improving standards of
traditional fishermen. A careful study of the Fisheries Policy Notes of 2011-12 and that of the earlier years/Five Year
Plan periods would reveal that virtually there had been no change in the objectives of the fisheries department over
the past decade.
1.3 Marine Fisheries Resources

The 1076 km coastline of Tamil Nadu can be broadly classified as: Coramandel coast from Chennai to Point
Calimere; Palk Bay - from Point Calimere to Pamban; Gulf of Mannar from Pamban to Kanniyakumari and the
West Coast 60 km West-wards from Kanniyakumari (Arabian Sea) District-wise details of length of coastline are
given in Table -1 a).
The continental shelf of Tamil Nadu (up to 100 fathom/200 m depth) is narrow in most places varying from 4.0 to
6.0 km in width from the coast. The continental shelf of Tamil Nadu is divided into three zones namely: the inshore
belt, up to 10 fathom depth; the offshore grounds, 10 to 25 fathoms depth; the ‘Deep Sea’ area, 25 to 100 fathoms.
A rough calculation of the above said areas is:
i) Inshore belt : 16,058 km
ii) Offshore ground : 7,197 km
iii) Deep sea area : 18,157 km
Total : 41,412 km
2
The EEZ of Tamil Nadu is about 0.19 million sq km. The stock assessment of marine fisheries potential was first
carried out during 1927-1928 with the vessel “LADY GOSHAN”, the details of which are as follows:
Gulf of Mannar:
a. Pelagic Resource Potential - 500,000 tonnes
b. Demersal fisheries including - 285,000 tonnes
Wedge Bank - Palk bay

a. Pelagic fishery potential - 56,000 tonnes
b. Demersal fishery potential - 113,000 tonnes
Coramandel coast
Combined both pelagic and demersal potential - 150,000 tonnes
Total 1,104,000 tonnes
This was followed by periodic studies undertaken by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI),
Fishery Survey of India (FSI), etc., and on the basis of these subsequent studies the marine fishery potential of Tamil
Nadu coast has been re-assessed to be around 450,000 tonnes.
1.4 Marine Fish Production

The year-wise marine fishing policy of Tamil Nadu has focused on the exploitation of resources in inshore waters
by introduction of mechanisation over the last four decades. As a result, the marine fish production in Tamil Nadu
went up from 93,280 tonnes in 1961-62 to 401,128 tonnes in 2009-10 and to about 404,400 tonnes in 2010-2011.
The increase in marine fish production in Tamil Nadu has been marginal over the past decade – varying between
368,000 tonnes and 404,400 tonnes (with a marked decline during 2004-05 to about 308,000 tonnes) valued at
Rs. 40,860 million (Table-1b). Out of the total marine fish production in Tamil Nadu, over 90% comes from the
inshore waters. The technological advancement coupled with growing dependence on the resources exerts pressure
in the inshore areas resulting in declining catch per unit effort (CPUE). This has created frequent group clashes
between traditional fishermen and mechanised boat operators causing tension and harming the social atmosphere.
In the Fisheries Policy Note of the Tamil Nadu Government for the year 2011-2012, spells out the major policy,
which is as follows:
• Improving the living standards of fisher folk by implementing welfare Schemes.
• Providing social security to the fisher folk by implementing relief Schemes.
• Protecting the fishing rights of the fishermen.
• Developing / strengthening the infrastructure facilities to benefit fisher folk and promote export.
• Conserving the fishery resources by enforcing statutory regulations, stock enhancement and establishing artificial
fish habitats.
• Managing the fishing resources by diversifying the fishermen to exploit offshore/ deep sea resources by providing
financial assistance and establishing Mid Sea Fish Processing Unit.
• Promoting sustainable eco-friendly aquaculture practices.
3
Major fish resources

The fishery of individual species of the groups deal with the quantum of production in space and time, the type of
fishing effort spent, the catch rates, peak period of abundance, size distribution in the population etc. Most of the
biological examinations deal on growth, maturity, food and feeding, feeding habits, migration, spawning, fecundity,
recruitment of young ones into the fishery, peak period of spawning, eggs and larvae etc.
The pelagic fishery resources are comprised of the oil sardine, Indian mackerel, tuna, seer fish, carangids, barracudas,
anchovies, other clupeids like lesser sardines, shads, hilsa shads, thrissocles etc., and the average pelagic fish catch in
Tamil Nadu is assessed to be 190,000 tonnes during 2004-08.
The demersal fishery resources are the elasmobranchs, perches, sciaenids, silver bellies, pomfrets, soles, flatfishes,
goatfishes, ribbon fishes, threadfin breams, polynemids, sea basses, cobia, balistids and others. The average demersal
fish production is estimated to be 110,000 tonnes.
The important crustacean fishery resources are the penaeid and non-penaeid shrimps, spiny lobsters, sand lobsters,
crabs, squilla, etc., and the average annual yield is 58,000 tonnes during the past 6 years.
The prominent molluscan fishery resources are cephalopods - squids, cuttlefish, octopus; gastropods such as sacred
chank, other chanks; bivalves such as pearl oysters, edible oysters, mussels, clams, cockles, etc. the average annual
catch of which is estimated to be 9,000 tonnes during the past 6 years.
Status of the stock in relation to exploitation level

An analysis of the species-wise marine fish landings from the Tamil Nadu coast during 2003 and 2009 indicated
that the landings of Mackerels and penaeid shrimp showed an increase during 2005-07, but declined sharply in
the subsequent years. In the case of seer fish a yearly fluctuation was observed. Increase in the landings of sharks,
Chirocentrus, oil sardines, anchovies, clupeids, perches, tunnis and crabs was notable from 2003-04 to 2008-09. The
landings of skates and rays, eels, cat fishes, lesser sardines, non-penaeid shrimps and cephalopods showed a marked
decline during this period. The fishery of sciaenids, polynemids, caranx, silver bellies, pomfrets and lobsters tended
to level off (Table - 2).
According to CMFRI (2006), almost 61% of fish stocks are already over-exploited, 28% are fully exploited and 11%
is under exploited, leaving a very little scope for further expansion in the catch from inshore waters. This situation
calls for a reduction in efforts of various fishing fleets and an increase in the mesh size. Almost all the species
are exposed to higher fishing pressure and the stocks of these resources are on declining trend warranting better
regulatory measures to sustain the fishery.
Recent trends in stock sizes and distribution

An in depth analysis of all the information in recent time has indicated a phenomenon called “Fishing down the
food-web”, wherein the selective continued exploitation of apex predators like the sharks, bill fishes, marlins, tunas,
large sciaenids, polynemids has lead to increase in the stock size of the prey species of the predators, such as the oil
sardine, other sardines, anchovies, saurida, mackerel, etc., and emergence of a few resources like the oil sardine in
regions where no oil sardine fishery was present.
Major gear types by location and fishery

Almost all types of fishing vessels such as mechanized trawlers, gill-netters and ring seine units, motorized gill-
netters, hooks & line units, boat seine units and non mechanized catamarans, canoes etc., operate from the major
fisheries harbours, minor fishery harbours and fish landing centres. All the fishing crafts operate in varying strengths
except the mechanized trawlers which require berthing facility and wherever the T jetties are available in places like
Thondi, Soliakudi, Mallipattinam, Sethubavachathiram, etc., the trawlers are operated from these landing centres.
An analysis of the gear-wise and district-wise marine fish production in Tamil Nadu during 2003-04, indicates that
about 46% of the total catch was from the trawl-nets, about 31% from the gill nets, 13.6% from tangle nets, and the
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remaining 9.4% from the other gear types (Table – 3). Contribution of Ramnad district to the total fish production
was around 28% followed by Pudukkottai (15%), Cuddalore (12.4%) Nagai & Thiruvarur (12%) and Tuticorin
(9%). The other 8 districts contributed to the remaining 23.6% of the total marine fish production during 2003-04.
Daily and seasonal fishing trip patterns
wooden trawlers and gill-netters undertake both single and multi-day (2-5 days & 2-10 days) fishing trips depending
on the sea worthiness and fish hold capacity of the fishing vessel (Narayankumar et al., 2009).
The poor economic performance of trawlers along the Tuticorin coast forced the trawl owners to sell their boat to
the gill net operators to convert them by modifying the super structures to suit gill net operation as reported by
Balasubramanian (2000).
1.5 Fish Utilisation and Trade

An analysis of the information available indicates that between 67.6% and 89.2% of the fish goes for domestic
marketing; 6.9% to 11.8% goes for freezing; Nil to 1.5% goes for curing; Nil to 10.4% goes for reduction;
0.4% to 13.1% is unspecified and the remaining 0.4% to 2.7% goes for other purposes (GOI, MoA, 2007). Detailed
information on the disposition of fish catches is given in Table - 4.
Per capita consumption of fish in Tamil Nadu per month was reported to be 0.12 kg in the rural areas and
0.14 kg in the urban areas. While 278 households out of 1000 households in the rural areas reported to be consuming
fish, in the urban areas it was 346/1000 households, which is less than the national average of 0.20 kg and 0.21 kg,
respectively {Source: Report No. 509, National Sample survey Organisation, 2004-05 as quoted in MoA, Handbook
on Fisheries Statistics, 2006 (May 2007)}.
Marine products exports from Tamil Nadu accounted for 19.84% (Chennai 13.03% and Tuticorin 6.81%) of the
total quantum of marine products exported from the country during 2009-10. Chennai has shown an increase in
the exports compared to the previous year while Tuticorin showed a declining trend. Details of port wise export from
Tamil Nadu are given in the table below.
Q : Quantity in Tons V: Value in Rs. million $ : US million

Ports Share % 2009-10 2008-09 Variation (%)
Chennai Q: 6.78 45991 39043 6948 17.80
V: 13.08 13141.00 10784.40 235.66 21.85
$: 13.03 2778.00 2408.00 37.00 15.37
Tuticorin Q: 4.10 27782 29354 -1572 -5.35
V: 6.83 6864.50 6937.60 -07.32 -1.05
$: 6.81 1452.20 1535.90 -08.37 -5.45
(Source : MPEDA Website. www.mpeda.com. Accessed on 27-10-2010)
Contribution of fish trade to the local and state economy

According to the information available in the Hand Book on Fisheries Statistics, published in May 2007, by the
Ministry of Agriculture, GOI, the contribution of fisheries to GDP, as percentage of total GDP of the country has
been in the range of 1.01 (2004-05) – 1.24 (1997-1998) during the ten year period between 1996-97 and 2005-06.
Even though the contribution of fisheries to GDP has increased from 0.46 percent in 1950-51 to a peak of 1.24
percent in 1997-98, there has been a decrease in the subsequent years with the present (2005-06) value at 1.07.
The fish trade from the two Tamil Nadu Ports in the export market has contributed to over Rs. 20,800 million
during the year 2010-11(TN Fisheries Policy Note, 2011-2012).
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1.6 Current fisheries management system in Tamil Nadu

Bavinck (2005) discusses three manifestations of tenurial claims and the resulting condition of legal pluralism along
the Coramandel Coast of Tamil Nadu. The first one is the age old territorial claims and fishery regulations of the
artisanal fishing community, the second one the more recent rule system of the trawler owners and the third the legal
conventions of the state of Tamil Nadu, in response to the increasing conflicts between the two parties. There are
some initiatives by NGOs like SIFFS to organize the fishing village panchayats of a particular region into a ‘Fisheries
Management Council’ as a further measure of strengthening the self governing system already in existence among
the northern Tamil Nadu fishermen villages.
Tamil Nadu State has various fishery regulations to guide fisheries management and these are confined to technical
measures like regulating a minimum mesh size for specific fisheries, closed/protected area (Gulf of Mannar Biosphere
Reserve), closed seasons (ban on fishing during monsoon period ), prohibition on catching certain species such as
the sharks, sea cucumber, sea horse etc., and which are listed under Category - 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act; and
listing species that cannot be exported below a minimum size. When these types of regulations are needed as a part
of fisheries management system, many of them are seldom implemented effectively along the Tamil Nadu coast due
to various reasons.
The following Central Acts which are binding on all the States including Tamil Nadu and are either directly or
indirectly concerned with fisheries management, include:
• Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
• Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2011
• Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
• Coastal Aquaculture Authority Act, 2005
• Indian Forest Act, 1927
• Forest Conservation Act, 1980
• Biological Diversity Act, 2002
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, amended 1983, 1986, 1991
• Foreign Trade Act, 1992
• Merchant Shipping Act, 1958
• The Coast Guard Act, 1978
• Indian Ports Act, 1908
1.7 Performance of fisheries policy and fisheries management

There is no exclusive fishery Policy for management and development of fisheries in Tamil Nadu. However, the
State Government brings out a year-wise Fisheries Policy Note, in line with the directives/strategies for fisheries
development and management spelt out by the Planning Commission, during the different Five Year Plan periods.
Guidelines for fishing operations in Indian Exclusive Economic Zone and the Letter of intent for Operation of
Fishing Vessels (LoP Vessels) during the late 1990s and the Comprehensive Marine Fishing Policy (CMFP) 2004
notified by the Government of India, are the three instruments which influence the marine fisheries policy and
fisheries management in the State.
Marine Fishing Regulation Act (MFRA) enacted in 1983 by Tamil Nadu Government and the Rules framed there-
under, based on the model Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1978, have enabling provisions for protecting the fishing
rights of the traditional fishermen; for preventing conflicts between the traditional and mechanised fishing sectors;
and to conserve, manage and develop marine fisheries within the 12 nautical mile territorial waters. This MFRA
earmarks the area within 3 nautical miles for fishing by the traditional fishermen and beyond 3 nautical miles for
fishing by the mechanised fishing craft. The act has three basic intentions:
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²² To protect the interest of different sections of persons engaged in fishing particularly those engaged in fishing
using traditional fishing craft such as catamaran, country craft (Vallams in this case ) or canoe.
²² To conserve fish and regulate fishing on scientific basis.
²² The need to maintain law and order in the sea.
The objective of this Act is “to provide for the regulation, restriction and prohibition of fishing by fishing vessels in
the sea along the whole or part of the coast line of the State.”
Government agencies directly involved in the marine sub-sector and primary resource users suffer from
implementation failure and weak institutional capacity with respect to marine fisheries management. There are no
effective, administrative systems to support improved fisheries management performance. Fiscal support in the form
of budgetary allocations and flow of funds from the centre to the state for various fisheries programmes/projects in
general and marine fisheries sector in particular, are not linked to fisheries management performance. Instead it tends
to support to a large extent the fishermen welfare schemes, provision of subsidy for various operational programs and
creation of post-harvest infrastructure in the form of major and minor fishery harbours, fish landing centres, etc.
Community management of marine resources is an alternative that is worth considering while the private and
government managed systems proved to be ineffective in the past. There is also a growing recognition that many
communities already have their own effective and sustainable management systems. This is evident at Pamban,
Ramnad district of Tamil Nadu, where the fishermen community has imposed a self-restriction on fishing by
traditional catamaran fishermen and the mechanized fishing sector. While the traditional catamaran fishermen go
for fishing on four days a week i.e., on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, the mechanised fishing operators go
for fishing on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. This in the opinion of the local fishermen is to prevent conflicts,
and to share the marine living resources between them. The State government does not have any role to play in this
(Sampath, 2003).
Another example is community management system in vogue among the fishermen of Tharuvaikulam village in
Tuticorin district. They being concerned about the adverse impact of bottom trawling on the fishery resources
by altering the benthic environment and that trawling in general causes damage to the gear and the crafts of the
traditional fishermen chose to have a self-imposed ban on trawling in order to avoid the conflicts that could arise
between the two sectors. Since the usage of gill nets by the mechanised boats have very little scope of initiating
conflicts, the self-imposed ban appears to have reduced the possibility of conflicts at the local level to a large extent,
even as they fish at the same fishing grounds. Even if any conflict arises, the local Panchayat resolves it. Anyone who
violates the norms of the local agreements gets his vessels being prohibited from going to the sea for a stipulated
period as a punishment. The fear of being ostracised by their community is a predominant factor in the success of
this local agreement. Fishermen from other locations are also not allowed to do trawl fishing off Tharuvaikulam.
The agreement between the two sectors, however, is not formal and is apparently oral (Jalalludhin, 2010 - Personal
Communication).
1.8 Environmental factors affecting fisheries

Among the over 12,000 industrial units 80 per cent are located close to the coast. Chennai, Cuddalore and Tuticorin
are some of the most industrialized areas of the coast in the state besides the Union Territory of Puducherry. The
coast and the coastal waters are experiencing severe pollution due to dumping of fly ash from coal fired thermal
power plants, discharge of untreated sewage and industrial effluents. Shoreline changes have been observed due to
new port developments.
There are also 2,200 tanneries in the state, accounting for more than 80 per cent of the total leather production in
India. The industrial pollution is worst in the Chennai area, with high concentrations of heavy metals in water and
sediments. Surprisingly, though, the concentrations of metals in fish and seafood are still well below health limits.
Bacterial contamination of seawater is most prominent in the coastal areas around Chennai, but almost all samples
taken close to the shore in Tamil Nadu indicate bacterial pollution. A study should be made on how to improve
the water quality. The bad water quality along the coasts is a serious health threat to the coastal population and the
establishment of a tourist industry.
7
Electricity is generated from coal-fired thermal stations (70 per cent) and nuclear plants (10 per cent). The coal-
fired units cause damage to fisheries through the elevation of water temperatures and the discharge of fly ash slurry.
The environmental effects of nuclear plants are little known and better studies are required. Statistics on the discharge
of radioactive tritium shows an increasing trend, which has caused concern. It is planned to construct a new nuclear
plant near Tirunelveli in southern Tamil Nadu, and this may increase the radioactive discharges significantly.
The impact of environmental degradation on fisheries in the Bay of Bengal is, as yet, slight or, at worst, moderate.
Only the coastal areas, lagoons and estuaries in some parts of the region have been affected. Algal blooms are rare
and there have been few outbreaks of Paralytic or Diarrheic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) or other such diseases. Even
where high concentrations of pesticides and heavy metals have been found in the water, or in the sediments, the
residues in fish and other marine organisms are still below recommended health limits. The threats that have been
well documented are summarised below.
Number of Industries and liquid and solid waste generated in Tamil Nadu
Sl. No Coastal States No. of industries Effluent generated (million cu.m/day) Solid waste (tpd)
1 Tamil Nadu 30 0.125 9,112
(Source : Ramachandran, S. 2001)
Sewage pollution is of particular concern. Wastes, without any treatment, are directly discharged into the waters of
the densely populated coastal regions. Rivers, lakes, lagoons, bays etc are anoxic for shorter or longer periods during
the year, causing fish kills. In addition, serious health problems connected with such pollution are also prevalent.
Thermal Power plants are located in the Tuticorin and Chennai. Of late, there are a number of proposals for setting
up thermal power plants along the Tamil Nadu coastline (over 10 of them), which are awaiting environmental
clearance. These power plants release warm water daily into the sea. The wastes generated from industries particularly
from the large industries are being treated before disposal. However, innumerable small and medium scale industries
discharge their waste into the creeks and municipal sewers. Due to release of untreated waste, contamination of
sediments with heavy metals like mercury, cadmium and lead is reported particularly in the coastal sediments of
Tamil Nadu.
Coastal pollution is recognized as a serious problem with the growing number of industries along the coast as well
as increasing urbanization. Under the Coastal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System (COMAPS) project being
implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences from 1991 onwards, data on the status of the health of the seas are
being collected from 82 sampling points covering 25 oceanographic parameters, which has enabled the identification
of 13 hot spots of which Royapuram Fishery Harbour, Ennore Port, Chennai Port and Tuticorin Port are in Tamil
Nadu, for continuous monitoring of coastal and marine pollution and its effect on the marine ecosystem and its
resources. The data collected under this project are being transmitted to the Central and State Pollution Control
Boards for taking remedial action for abatement of the effects of toxic effluents on the marine ecosystem. However,
despite such knowledge and water pollution control legislation being in place, the pollution load seems to be only
increasing over time, due to proliferation of industrial units and urbanization along the coastal belt. In addition to
pollution, degradation and destruction of coastal habitats such as mangroves, coral reef beds and sea grass meadows
are reported to have resulted in depleting fish stocks.
1.9 Structure and organisation of fishing communities, stakeholder sectoral

institutions and their performance
Along the Tamil Nadu coast, the fishing communities are largely distributed among the castes of pattinavar, paravar
and mukkuvar as we progress north to south. Little was known in detail about the structure and composition of the
fishing community because they were mainly insular. Pattinavars dominate the Tamil Nadu coast from the north
Tamil Nadu to Vedaranyam.
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The fisheries cooperatives in the NGO sector were formed mainly to help in marketing of fish and to enable cash
flow apart from enabling other welfare activities to those belonging to the group with the South Indian Federation of
Fishermen Societies (SIFFS) being a pioneer. Subsequently a few others have also been working with fishermen and
fisher women including NGOs such as MSSRF, Dhan Foundation, SNEHA, TMSSS and other societies promoted
by the church. The Fisheries Co-operative Societies promoted by the government are welfare oriented by extending
many welfare Schemes to the members. The details of marine fisheries cooperatives and their membership in Tamil
Nadu are given below (Fisheries Department Policy Note 2011-12).
Marine Fishermen Cooperative Societies : 564 with 3,32,759 members
Marine Fisher women Cooperative Societies : 429 with 1,94,010 members
District Fishermen Cooperative Federations : 11 with 727 members
Tamil Nadu State Apex Fisheries Cooperative Federation : 1 with 598 members
1.10 Employment and Livelihoods

A total of 206,908 fishers are active fishermen out of whom 185,603 are full time, 15,954 are part time and
5,351 are occasional fishers.
Out of 790,408 fishers (as per Marine Fisheries Census 2005- CMFRI, 2006), 527,574 fishers are literate. There are
260,088 who are educated at primary school level, 206,257 with secondary school level and 61,229 fishers are with
higher secondary school education and beyond.
Occupational Profile
Out of the 324,234 active fishers, the number of fishers involved in fishing allied activities in Tamil Nadu, is as
follows
Sl. No Fishing & allied activities No. of Fishers

1 Active fishermen engaged in fishing 206,908
2 Marketing of fish 36,126
3 Making /repairing net 19,051
4 Curing /processing 6,250
5 Peeling 2,107
6 Labourer 25,657
7 Others 15,318
8 Other than fishing 12,817
Total 324,234
(CMFRI Census, 2005)
1.11 Marine Fisheries

1.11.1 Development and Management Programmes
Motorisation of Traditional Crafts
The Government is providing subsidy assistance towards the purchase of outboard motors to be fitted in the
traditional crafts of fishermen. Under this Scheme, the fishermen are provided with 50% subsidy of the unit cost
with a ceiling limit of Rs. 30,000/- per Out Board Motor (OBM) / In-Board Engine (IBE), which is shared equally
between Centre and State. During 2009-2010, the Government provided subsidy assistance of Rs. 30 million to the
9
fishermen for the purchase of about 1000 OBM / IBE. An amount of Rs. 60 million has been earmarked in the
budget for implementing the Scheme during 2011-12. The State Government has sought an assistance of Rs. 150
million for motorising at least 5,000 traditional crafts every year.
Reimbursement of Central Excise Duty on High Speed Diesel
To alleviate the sufferings of the mechanized fishing boat operators and to reduce the operational cost, the Government
reimburses the central excise duty by way of subsidy towards the purchase of HSD oil. The subsidy is limited to
Rs. 3.00/ litre of HSD oil with a ceiling of 500 litres per boat, per month during active fishing months. The subsidy
is provided to the mechanised vessels with overall length lesser than 20 metre and registered prior to X Five year Plan
period. The owners of the Mechanised fishing boats should be below BPL category. During 2009-10, Government
of India have sanctioned Rs. 30.00 million as subsidy (100% assistance).
Sales Tax Exemption on Sale of High Speed Diesel to Fishermen
The Government have exempted 100% sales tax towards purchase of High Speed Diesel Oil for mechanised boats
and motorised country crafts registered prior to X five year plan. The mechanised fishing boats can avail Sales tax
free diesel subject to a maximum of 15,000 litres per boat per year during active fishing months and motorised
country craft to the maximum of 3,600 litres per craft per year. During the year 2009-10, 73,490 KL of sales tax
free High Speed Diesel oil for mechanized boats and 34,828 KL for country crafts had been supplied. This Scheme
is being continued during 2011-2012 as well.
Conservation and Management of Fishery Resources

In recent years, the fishery wealth in the inshore waters is being overexploited due to increasing dependence on
the resources. Enforcement of Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulation Act 1983 is an ongoing measure as part of
conservation and management of marine resources. Stock enhancement, habitat development and fishing diversification
are the conservation and management options to reduce fishing pressure in the inshore waters. Considering this,
the Government have already initiated implementing sea ranching programme and ranched 48 million Penaeus
monodon Shrimp seeds in selected places of five coastal districts i.e., Ramanathapuram, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur,
Pudukottai and Thoothukudi.
Setting up of artificial reef in the inshore waters is one of the other management options for stock
enhancement / conservation of fishery resources. The Government have already installed 18 Artificial Reefs in
Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Pudukottai, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Thanjavur, Kanniyakumari, Thiruvallur
and Kancheepuram Districts in collaboration with Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI).
Subsidy Assistance (50%) to Fishermen to Equip Small Fishing Crafts for Tuna Long Line Fishing
Diversification to offshore and deep sea fishing is an option available to reduce the fishing pressure in the inshore
region. Tuna is one such offshore fishery resource yet to be optimally exploited. Tuna has both domestic and
International market. In order to utilize the under-exploited tuna resources in Tamil Nadu, the Government extends
50% subsidy assistance to the fishermen to equip their small crafts for Tuna fishing. During 2010-11, 50 mechanised
boats and 50 FRP Vallams were proposed to be equipped by providing necessary infrastructure facilities for tuna
fishing at a total estimated cost of Rs. 3.535 million. The mechanised boat fishermen will get subsidy assistance of
50% capital cost subject to a maximum of Rs. 40,000/- per unit and the FRP Vallam fishermen will get subsidy
assistance to an extent of 50% capital cost subject to a maximum of Rs. 30,000/- per unit.
Providing 25% subsidy up to Rs.500,000 to a fisherman to procure Mechanised Boats or Deep sea Tuna long
liners
The marine fish production has stagnated for the past few decades with steadily reducing catch per unit. The
dwindling fish catch in the inshore areas leads to conflict among the mechanised and traditional fishermen.
Diversification to offshore and deep sea fishing is one of the management options to reduce the fishing pressure in
the inshore region. Tuna is one of the offshore fishery resources yet to be optimally harvested. In order to diversify
10
fishing activities, this Government will launch a Scheme to provide 25% subsidy up to Rs. 500,000 to a fisherman
for procuring a new fishing craft or deep sea tuna long liner by way of conversion of mechanised boat / replacement
or upgradation of motorised fishing crafts. A sum of Rs. 250 million has been set apart for this purpose to add 500
new mechanised boats or deep sea tuna long liners.
Deepsea Fishing – Mother Ship Concept

The Government has sought for an assistance of Rs.800 million for establishing a “Mid Sea Fish Processing unit”
by adopting carrier mother vessel – baby vessel concept. The carrier mother vessel stationed at mid sea will have the
facilities for fish processing and provide essential inputs for the baby vessels involved in commercial fishing in the
deep sea. This will also act as a ‘Value Added Export Oriented Park’ and ensure quality standards for export and
better price to fishermen for their catch. This project will be taken up under Public-Private Partnership on a pilot
scale.
Mariculture
Tamil Nadu with its long coast line has immense potential for development of various Mariculture activities such
as Lobster / Crab fattening, Seaweed Culture, Cage Culture of marine fin fishes etc., which are yet to be tapped.
The development of mariculture activities will help to reduce the fishing pressure in the inshore water and also act
as a diversified activity. By undertaking Mariculture activities, the fishermen will get additional income and the
marine fish production and the export earnings of the state will increase substantially. Seaweed cultivation is being
undertaken in selected areas involving Self Help Groups and has proved to be a successful alternate employment and
income generating activity for Fisher folk. Under SGSY Special Projects, meant for alternate livelihood for Tsunami
affected fishers in Tamil Nadu, skill upgradation training to 6000 fishers on seaweed culture has been completed at
a cost of Rs. 3.988 million. Financial Assistance in the form of back ended subsidy was provided to 114 Self Help
Groups at a cost of Rs. 8.819 million during 2009-2010.
1.11.2 Infrastructure Facilities

World Bank Assisted Emergency Tsunami Reconstruction Project (ETRP)
Under the World Bank assisted ETRP, the following projects are proposed to be implemented:
• Reconstruction and modernisation of two fishing Harbours at Nagapattinam and Pazhayar at a cost of
Rs. 632.10 million.
• Permanent opening of four bar-mouths at Uppanar and Vellar, at an estimated cost of Rs. 154.40 million.
• Construction of two New Fish Landing Centres at Nagore (Rs. 106 million) and Annankoil (Rs. 135 million).
Construction of 10 Fish Landing Centres Under Tsunami Rehabilitation Programme

Fish landing Centres are under construction in the following 10 places (except Uvari) under the Tsunami
Rehabilitation Programme at a total cost of Rs. 499.70 million:
Tiruvallur District - Annamalaicheri, Ennore Mugathuvarakuppam, Periyamangodu
Kancheepuram District - Kadalore Periakuppam
Villupuram District - Ekkiyarkuppam
Pudukottai District - R.Pudupattinam
Ramanathapuram District - Keelakarai
Thoothukudi District - Threspuram, and Periyathalai
Tirunelveli District - Uvari
11
Seamless Communication Network

In order to ensure the safety and security of the fishermen venturing into high seas, the Government of Tamil
Nadu have introduced “Seamless Radio Communication System” by fixing Very High Frequency (VHF) set fitted
with Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver in each fishing craft. Under this Scheme, installation of seamless
communication network in 13 coastal districts will be undertaken in two phases at a total estimated cost of Rs. 576.00
million. In the first phase, the Government have provided seamless communication facilities in Ramanathapuram
district through M/s. ELCOT, Chennai at a cost of Rs.77.30 million. Three base stations along with High mast
towers at Pamban, Thondi and Chinna Erwadi have been established. 3,100 VHF hand held marine radios will be
given to Country crafts on free of cost. For mechanized boats, the equipments will be given on 50% subsidy. An
expenditure of Rs. 43.40 million has been incurred so far. The above Scheme will be put into operation during
2011-12.
Fish Processing Parks in Tamil Nadu

To develop adequate infrastructure support which is essential to sustain development in Fisheries Sector, the
Government have proposed to develop Fish Processing Parks in 13 coastal towns in a phased manner, under
Public Private Partnership with the financial support of the Ministry of Food Processing, Government of India and
National Fisheries Development Board. During 2011-12, two such modern fish processing and packing houses will
be developed with cold storage facilities at Chennai and Nagapattinam as pilot projects.
Upgradation of Fishing Harbour and Fish landing Centres

In order to meet out emerging challenges and in view of the growing quality consciousness all over the world, it
is necessary to upgrade the facilities in the Fishing Harbours/Fish Landing Centres to promote export. Hence, the
Government have accorded administrative approval to upgrade the following fishing harbour/fish landing centres, at
a total estimated cost of Rs. 128.56 million during 2011-12, under National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB)
financial assistance, as detailed below:
Sanction of Harbour Upgradation works
1 Upgradation of Chennai Fishing Harbour, Chennai Rs. 120.70 million

2 Upgradation of Jegathapattinam Fish Landing Centre, Pudukottai District. Rs. 5.33 million
3 Upgradation of Mudasalodai Fish Landing Centre, Cuddalore Distrcit Rs. 2.53 million
Construction of Fishing Harbours at Colachel, Thengapattinam Pompuhar and Mookaiyur under Centre /
State Shared Scheme
Government of India have approved the construction of a Fishing Harbour at Colachel in Kanniyakumari District
at an estimated cost of Rs. 271.00 million; and Thengapattinam in Kanniyakumari District at an estimated cost of
Rs. 400.00 million. An estimate for construction of another fishing harbour at Poompuhar at an estimated cost
of Rs. 750.00 million has recently been prepared and submitted to the Central Institute of Coastal Engineering
for Fishery (CICEF), Bangalore, to revise the Techno-Economic Feasibility Report (TEFR). A new proposal for
construction of a fishing harbour at Mookaiyur in Ramanathapuram district under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme
at an estimated cost of Rs. 600 million has been prepared and the DPR for the project is under preparation.
Construction of Fishing Harbour under “BOOT/BOT” (Build, Operate & Transfer) System
The Government have accorded permission for the construction of Fishing Harbours at Muttom on BOT
basis and Rajakkamangalamthurai in Kanniyakumari District under “BOOT” System. Construction of Fishing
Harbour at Muttam at a cost of Rs. 539.20 million is in progress and the construction is yet to commence at
Rajakkamangalamthurai. The TN Government is also proposing to construct a fishing harbour at Manakkudi in
Kanyakumari district under “BOOT” concept for decongesting the Chinnamuttom fishing harbour.
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1.11.3 Fishers’ Welfare Programmes

As members of fishing societies, in addition to direct livelihoods, they also get welfare assistance in the form of
various subsidies, insurance coverage, educational facilities including loans and assistance during the monsoon ban
among other measures.
Most fishers (including those in fish marketing) are in the sector because they belong to the fishing community.
Either they find it lucrative enough to remain in the sector or prefer to stay back because that is the only skill
they have and they are not prepared yet to move out to alternate livelihoods. The welfare measures offered by the
Government have been generous and it is believed that this is one of the reasons for the increase in the number
of active fishers (as measured by the membership in societies) in Tamil Nadu over time. The 2004 tsunami which
devastated the fishing communities along the coast of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry also brought in significant
assistance in the form of better houses, better craft and gear and other amenities ranging from school buildings to
solar dryers and auction sheds, to the benefit of the marine fishers.
National Savings–Cum-Relief Scheme for Marine Fishermen

The Government is implementing the centrally sponsored / shared Scheme of National Savings-cum-Relief for the
marine fishermen of Tamil Nadu every year. Under this Scheme, a fisherman contributes Rs. 600/- @ Rs. 70/- per
month as his share for the first 8 months and Rs. 40/- for the ninth month. The contribution is matched with
total amount of Rs. 1,200/- by the Central and State Governments equally (i.e. Rs. 600/- each). Thus, a sum of
Rs. 1,800/- including the fishermen contribution is disbursed to the beneficiaries during the three lean months.
For the year 2009-10, the Government have sanctioned a sum of Rs. 220.16 million as relief amount for 185,968
fishermen beneficiaries in 13 coastal districts. For the year 2011-2012, a sum of Rs. 220 million has been earmarked
for implementing this scheme.
Savings-cum-Relief Scheme for Marine Fisher women

This Scheme is being implemented as a state Scheme since 2006-07. Under the Scheme, for the year 2009-10, the
Government have sanctioned the relief amount of Rs. 172.54 million for 13 coastal districts for disbursement to
142,661 fisher women beneficiaries. An amount of Rs. 181.50 million has been allocated for implementing this
Scheme during 2011-12.
Relief Assistance to Marine Fishermen Families during Fishing Ban Period

To conserve the fishery resources, during the fish breeding season, the Government have imposed fishing ban every
year from 2001 onwards for a period of 45 days i.e., from April 15 to May 29 in the East Coast region and
June 15th to July 29th in the West Coast. The fishermen have no source of income and are put into hardship in
maintaining their families. To alleviate the sufferings of those who are actually involved in fishing activities, the
Government of Tamil Nadu have announced relief assistance of Rs. 500/- per marine fishermen family during the
ban period. During 2009-10, a sum of Rs. 719,000 was disbursed to 143,000 fishermen families. The scheme was
continued during 2010-11 as well, with an enhanced relief assistance of Rs. 800 per family. For the year 2011-12,
the Government have enhanced the relief assistance from Rs. 1,000/- to Rs. 2,000/- on 17-5-2011. A total sum of
Rs. 320 million was disbursed to 160,000 fishermen families under this Scheme in May 2011. Benefits will also be
extended to marine fishermen families who have not been benefited earlier under this Scheme.
Fishermen Free Housing Scheme

The Government sanction 2000 houses every year for the Marine and Inland sector fishermen who are below
poverty line under Fishermen Free Housing Scheme. Apart from the above Scheme, the Government of India
sanction houses, community halls and tube wells under the Development of Model Fishermen Village Scheme.
The expenditure on this Scheme is shared between the State and Centre on 50:50 basis.
13
Group Accident Insurance Scheme for Fishers

Under this Scheme, the State and Central Government pay the total Insurance premium of Rs.30/- (at Rs.15/- each)
and no premium is collected from the fishermen. In case of death /Permanent disablement, the fishers will be given
Rs. 100,000/- and Rs. 50,000/- for partial disablement.
For the year 2010-11, a sum of Rs. 8.908 million (as State share) has been paid to FISHCOPFED (National
Federation of Fishermen’s Co-operative Ltd), New Delhi, towards insurance coverage for 593,000 active marine,
inland fishermen and fisher women for the period from 10.12.2010 to 9.12.2011. This Scheme will be continued
during 2011-12 as well.
Subsidized /Sales Tax Exempted Industrial Kerosene to the Traditional Crafts

The Government provide subsidized /Sales tax exempted industrial kerosene at the rate of Rs. 25/- per litre
(200 litres per boat per month) to the owners of the motorized traditional crafts fitted with the kerosene driven
motors in Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli & Kanniyakumari Districts. The Government have allocated Rs. 472.30 million
for implementing the Scheme during 2011-12.
Cash Awards to 10th and +2 Students of Fishermen Community

To encourage students of fishermen community to pursue education, Government of Tamil Nadu have sanctioned
cash awards of Rs. 424,000 to fishermen boys and girls who have secured top ranks in 10th and +2 Standard
Examinations at District and State level. This Scheme is continued during the year 2011-12.
1.11.4 Fishermen Relief Schemes

Tamil Nadu Fishermen Welfare Board
To provide social security and for ensuring well being of fishermen and labourers engaged in fishing and allied
activities, Tamil Nadu Fishermen Welfare Board was established and functioning with its Head Office at Neelangarai,
Chennai. The Welfare schemes being implemented by the Tamil Nadu Fishermen Welfare Board are given in Table-5:
As on 31.07.2011, a total of 4 lakh fishermen / fisher women / labourers were enrolled as members in the Board. So
far, 11,751 claims have been settled and relief / assistance totalling Rs. 53.60 million under various schemes of the
Board have been sanctioned. A sum of Rs. 14.40 million has been received from various agencies as specified in the
Act, as contribution to the fund of Tamil Nadu Fishermen Welfare Board.
Daily Relief to Marine Fishermen Apprehended in Other Countries

The Government supports the family of genuine fishermen who are apprehended by the neighbouring countries
while fishing by extending a daily relief amount of Rs. 50/- to the family till he returns home. The Government
have sanctioned a sum of Rs. 500,000 each to the 8 District Collectors of Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur,
Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari for providing immediate relief,
during 2009-10 and 2010-11. This Scheme will be continued during the year 2011-12 as well.
Relief to the Families of Missing Fishermen

The Government extends relief assistance of Rs. 50/- per day or Rs. 1500/- per month to the families of the
fishermen missing while fishing in the sea, till he returns, subject to certain conditions. In 2010-11 an amount of Rs.
874,000 was given to 38 individuals. The Government have sanctioned a total sum of Rs.1.2 million and distributed
to the coastal District Collectors.
Relief to the Families of Deceased Fishermen Attacked by Sri Lankan Navy

The fishermen of Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi
and Kanniyakumari Districts inadvertently cross the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) due to engine
14
failure and natural vagaries of the sea and drift into Sri Lankan waters. Such fishermen are apprehended and
sometimes shot at by Sri Lankan Navy.
To alleviate the sufferings of deceased fisherman family, the Government is providing an ex-gratia payment of Rs.
300,000 to the deceased fisherman family from Chief Minister Public Relief Fund. In the case of the deceased
fishermen who are the sole breadwinners of the family, an Ex-gratia amount of Rs. 500,000 is being given. For major
and minor injuries, an Ex-gratia amount of Rs. 50,000/- and Rs.20, 000/- is being given, respectively. The Scheme
will be continued during the year 2011-12 as well.
The Welfare schemes being implemented by the Tamil Nadu Fishermen Welfare Board are given in the Table – 5.
1.11.5 Special Projects

Issuance of Biometric Identity Cards to Marine Fishermen
Considering the importance of coastal security after the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack, the Government of India
have introduced a Central Sector Scheme for “Issuance of Biometric Identity Cards to marine fishermen” and
allocated a sum of Rs. 11.60 million to Tamil Nadu. Biometric ID cards will be issued to about 185,000 active
marine fishermen. The agency for issue of biometric cards is M/s.BEL Ltd. Bangalore.
Online Registration of Fishing Vessels

To ensure coastal security, the Government of India have introduced a Central Sector Scheme for “Online
registration of fishing vessels” and sanctioned a sum of Rs. 7.051 million to Tamil Nadu. The hardware required
for online registration of fishing vessels have been supplied to the Authorized Officers of Tamil Nadu Marine
Fishing Regulation Act. 1983 and the software has been supplied by the National Informatics Centre Services Inc.
The total number of fishing crafts to be covered under this online registration is estimated to be 60,863. Further, the
Government of India have sanctioned Rs. 6.285 million additionally towards providing infrastructure facilities and
the same will be utilised. So far, 4,204 mechanised boats and 15,511 traditional crafts have been covered under the
Scheme. The Scheme will be completed by end December 2011. By implementing the Scheme, the coastal security
will be strengthened besides, ensuring the safety of fishermen at sea.
Multi species Marine Fin Fish Hatchery

The Department of Fisheries has established a “Multi Species Marine Fin fish Hatchery” under Swarna Jayanthi
Grama Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) – special project, at cost of Rs. 30 million at Neelankarai, Kancheepuram District
and functioning through the society named as “Centre for Aquaculture Research and Development” (CARD).
The hatchery will produce fish seeds of commercially important marine species such as Sea bass, Cobia, etc., which
will be supplied to fishermen for undertaking cage culture.
Training to Equip Fishermen for Tuna long line Fishing

Under this scheme, it is proposed to purchase six Fibre glass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) boats and training will be
given to fishermen in deep sea Tuna fishing at a total cost of Rs. 8.581 million. This will set a good trend in not only
introducing deep sea fishing craft at a lesser cost but also encourage the small boat owners to venture into offshore
for better catch, better income and enable to tap export market. Fishermen will be trained to handle the craft for
Tuna fishing using manually operated hand reel and to venture into offshore.
Capacity Building of Marine Fishermen by undertaking Exposure visit to Other States

Under this scheme, the marine fishermen will be taken to neighbouring states for an exposure visit to the major
fishing harbours, landing centres , processing plants and fish markets to educate them on the best practices being
followed in those places, type of crafts and gears used, fishing methods etc., at a cost of Rs. 8.585 million. This will
create an awareness among fishermen on sustainable fishing practices and conservation of marine resources.
15
Installation of Hybrid Guide Lights powered with Solar and Wind Energy in Coastal Villages
Ten hybrid guide lights at a cost of Rs. 10.30 million will be installed in nine coastal places in Tamil Nadu. These
hybrid guide lights function using wind and solar energy which enable uninterrupted power supply aiding the
marine fisher folk for safe return to the shore.
1.11.6 Budget allocation for fisheries development in Tamil Nadu

The budgetary allocation for the 9th Five Year Plan period in the fisheries sector for Tamil Nadu (1997-98 to
2001-02) was Rs. 1117.80 million; for the 10th Five Year Plan programmes it was Rs. 2040 million. There had been
over 150% increase in the allocation during the 11th Five Year Plan period, over the 10th Plan allocation - Rs. 5577
million (MoA, 2007; Tamil Nadu Fisheries Policy Note, 2010-11), the details of which are as under:
Tamil Nadu Fisheries in XI Five Year Plan (2007-12) (Rs. in million)
Proposed Tenta-tively Approved by the SPC

Sl. No. Name of the Scheme approved by
State Central Total SPC State Central Total
I. Export Promotion & 615.00 600.00 1215.00 617.10 324.40 295.00 619.40
Facilitation
II. Livelihood Support 2230.00 1810.00 4040.00 1598.00 843.00 403.00 1246.00
Programmes
III. Conservation and 375.00 150.00 525.00 195.00 -- -- --
Development
IV. Technology 180.00 100.00 280.00 70.00 -- -- --
promotion and
transfer
V. Disaster preparedness 50.00 150.00 200.00 20.00 -- -- --
and mitigation
VI. Empowerment of 160.00 -- 160.00 20.00 -- -- --
Fisheries Cooperatives
and Corporates
New -- 1826.50 3759.00 2108.00 1836.60 1875.00 3711.60
Schemes
Total 3610.00 4636.50 10179.00 4628.10 3004.00 2573.00 5577.00
(Source : Tamil Nadu Department of Fisheries, 2010)
The budgetary support (both Plan and Non-Plan) available for fisheries development programmes in Tamil Nadu
between 2005-06 and 2011-2012, is given below:
(Rs. in million)
2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12
624.10 411.30 1031.40 947.40 1018.00 1933.30 3996.80
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1.11.7 Major Issues

The major issues in the fisheries sector at present include the following:
• Inshore Fish stocks

33 Decline in catch rate
33 High fishing mortality
33 Decline in recruitment and yield/recruit
33 Decline in biomass
33 Shift from the regular landing patterns
33 Drastic changes in biological characteristics of the exploited fish populations
• Small-Scale Marine Capture Fisheries

33 Expansion in Fishing Capacity,
33 Over exploitation and depletion of resources,
33 Lack of Alternative source of employment,
33 Increase in Investments and Operating Costs,
33 Migration of fishers,
33 Arrests and Detention in Third Countries,
33 Safety of fishers at Sea,
33 Returns to Fishers (share in consumer rupee)
33 Pollution and Degradation of Coastal Resources,
33 Ill–conceived Conservation measures,
33 Conflict with mechanised fishing operatives,
33 Poverty and food and livelihood insecurity,
33 Poor health, education and sanitary conditions,
33 Indebtedness,
33 High rate of illiteracy, etc.
• Processing and Marketing

33 Changes in Fish Harvesting Trends,
33 Implications for the Post-harvest Sector,
33 Growth and Changing Composition of Fish Exports
33 Changing Patterns in Disposition of Fish Catch
33 Poor working conditions in the Processing Plants
33 Too many market intermediaries, etc.
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2. Profile of Marine Fisheries Sector in Puducherry

2.1 General information
The Union Territory of Puducherry covers an area of 492 sq km and consists of four regions — Puducherry,
Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam. While Puducherry, Karaikal and Yanam are situated on the Coramandel coast, Mahe is
situated on the Malabar Coast.
This territory was under French administration until November 1954. The territory has a population of 1,240,000
according to the 2011 Census. The population density is 2034 persons per sq km. The literacy rate is 74.91%
with a male literacy of 83.9 1% and female literacy at 73.90%. (Region-wise Socio-economic Statistics of U.T of
Puducherry, 2010 and Annual Plan 2011-12 of Puducherry Government).
The Fisheries Department was set up in the Union Territory only after the de facto merger of the former French
Territories with Indian Union. ‘Fisheries’ have been recognised as a thrust area in the Union Territory of Puducherry
during successive Plan periods starting from the Ninth Five Year Plan (1997-2002) period.
There are 39 marine fishing villages in the UT of Puducherry, of which 25 are in Puducherry and Karaikal regions.
The total marine fishermen population is 85,000, of which 68,615 are in the Puducherry and Karaikal regions,
comprised in 31,809 families.
There are 3671 fishing crafts, comprising 274 wooden mechanized boats, 23 number of steel mechanized boats, 176
FRP mechanized boats, 1405 FRP motorized catamarans, 100 wooden catamarans with OBMs and 1693 wooden
catamarans without OBMs. Out of these 3671 fishing crafts,2479 are operating from Puducherry and Karaikal
regions, of which 325 are mechanized crafts, 709 are FRP motorized crafts and 641 wooden catamarans without
OBMs. There are 29 Primary Marine Fishermen cooperative societies and 21 marine fisher women cooperative
societies, out of the total of 64 fishery cooperative societies, with over 54,610 fishers enrolled as members. (Puducherry
Fisheries Statistics at a Glance, 2010, Dept. of Fisheries & Fishermen Welfare, Puducherry).
A mini fishing harbour has been constructed in Puducherry region, where more than 250 mechanised vessels are
berthed. A similar facility is being created in the Karaikal region, which is nearing completion. There are 26 fish
landing centres, 8 ice factories and 1 cold storage for providing post-harvest support for marine fisheries (Puducherry
Fisheries Statistics at a Glance, 2010, Dept. of Fisheries & Fishermen Welfare, Puducherry).
With the twin objective of increasing fish production from both marine and inland water resources and to improve
the socio-economic status of fisher folk of the Union Territory, various development/welfare-oriented schemes are
formulated and are being implemented placing greater emphasis on production-cum-employment oriented activities.
2.2 Objectives of Fisheries Department

The major objectives vested with this Department are to augment marine and inland fish production and to improve
the socio-economic conditions of the fishing community thereby generating employment opportunity.
2.3 Marine Fisheries Resources

Puducherry has a coastline of 45 km, with a continental shelf area of about 1000 sq.km. Out of this, about 44 km
length of coastline falls in the Puducherry and Karaikal regions covering an area of about 900 sq.km within the
continental shelf area.
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2.4 Marine Fish Production

The total marine fish production of the UT of Puducherry in the year 2010-11 was 39,000 tonnes, down from
42,800 tonnes during 2003-04. The trend in marine fish production of Puducherry from 1990-91 is given in
Table – 1.
Major fish resources
Among fin fishes in Puducherry, the pelagic group was dominant and contributed to 55.95% of the total catch
followed by demersal fin fish (14.49%). The major fish species representing the fish landings along Puducherry coast,
during the years 2000-2010, were sardines including oil sardines, Indian mackerel, seer fish, pomfrets, carangids,
perches (sea bass and leognaths), flat fishes, mullets, crockers, penaeid and non-penaeid shrimps, crabs, squids and
cuttle fish, etc. The trend in species-wise fish landings from Puducherry UT, during 2000-2005 is given in the
Table – 2. An analysis of the trend in the species composition fish landed along Puducherry coast during 1991-2010
reveals that the fishery of sciaenids and red mullets is declining; the fishery of oil sardines, anchovies, polynemids,
perches, Indian mackerels, and shrimps is stable; and the fishery of other sardines, carangids, silver bellies, seer fish,
etc., is improving (Puducherry Fisheries Statistics, 2010).
Status of the stock in relation to exploitation level

The stocks of different resources are not well defined yet. According to CMFRI (2006), almost 61% of fish stocks
are already over-exploited, 28% are fully exploited and 11% is under exploited, leaving a very little scope for further
expansion in the catch from inshore waters.
Recent trends in stock sizes and distribution

A phenomenon called “Fishing down the food-web”, wherein the selective continued exploitation of apex predators
like the sharks, bill fishes, marlins, tunas, large sciaenids, polynemids has lead to the increase in the stock size of the
prey species of the predators, such as the oil sardine, other sardines, anchovies, saurida, mackerel etc and emergence
of a few resources like the oil sardine in regions where no oil sardine fishery was present. Nearly all the species
are exposed to higher fishing pressure and the stocks of these resources are on declining trend warranting better
regulatory measures to sustain the fishery (Mohan Joseph and Jayaprakash, 2003).
Major gear types by location and fishery

Different types of fishing gears are used by the fishermen of Puducherry and Karaikal regions for exploiting different
types of fishes. These are
i. Gill net
ii. Trawl net
iii. Shore seines
iv. Boat seines
v. Hook and long lines, and
vi. Traps
Usually crafts like FRP, wooden catamaran use different types of Gill nets according to different fishing seasons.
Wooden mechanised boats use surface trawl nets or bottom trawl nets. Hooks and long lines are also used by the
fishermen.
²² In the mechanised crafts 52% are trawlers, 28% are gill netters and the remaining 20% form other types.
²² Number of gill nets in the UT is 32331 pieces of gill nets.
19
The estimated marine fish landings from different fishing gears operated from different crafts and the percentage
contribution to the total fishery is given in the following table:
Estimated Marine Fish landings from different gears during 2008.
Sl. No Type of craft/gear Quantity of landings ( in tonnes) Percentage contribution

1 Mechanised trawl net 5666 44.19
2 Mechanised boat/gill net 785 6.12
3 Inboard engine/gill net 854 6.66
4 OBM/gill net 1202 9.38
5 OBM/Drift Gill net 3874 30.22
6 OBM/Hook & line 332 2.59
7 OBM/Shore-seine 108 0.84
TOTAL 12821 100.00
(Source: Government of Puducherry, August, 2009)
Daily and seasonal fishing trip patterns

wooden trawlers and gill netters undertake both single and multi-day (2-5 days) and (2-10 days) fishing depending
on the sea worthiness and fish holding capacity of the fishing vessel (Narayankumar et al., 2009).
In Puducherry and Karaikal regions, the actual fishing is restricted to inshore (0 to 20 meters depth) and offshore
(20 to 50 meters depth) area of the continental shelf. Majority of the fishermen are interested and involved only in
the inshore fishing, which can be fished by small crafts, which cannot stay for longer period in the sea. Mechanised
boats with refrigeration facilities are involved in offshore fishing operations. Practically, Deep Sea fishing is not
familiar in both Puducherry and Karaikal regions.
Seasonal, climatic and oceanographic variations are determined by the two monsoon periods, which largely have a
direct bearing on fisheries. The fishing season all along Puducherry and Karaikal coast is from January to September
excluding the ban period of 15th April to 31st May. The period from October to December is generally off season
due to Northeast monsoon. During monsoon period, the sea is rough and occasional cyclones and stormy weather
conditions have direct impact on fishing.
2.5 Fish Utilisation and Trade

Within the UT of Puducherry 80% of the total fish production is consumed fresh. Approximately 19% of the total
catch is processed and less that 1% is marketed in frozen condition. In the UT of Puducherry the percentage of fish
eating population is nearly 80 –90%. The average per capita consumption of fish in the UT of Puducherry is 0.70%
kg per month.
The commercially important marine finfish and shell-fish species landed in the fish landing centres of Puducherry
are processed and exported from Tamil Nadu and Kerala, as there is no fish processing units in Puducherry.
2.6 Current fisheries management system in Puducherry

The Puducherry Marine Fishing Regulation Rules, 2009, have the following prescriptions for regulating and
managing marine fishing operations in Puducherry’s territorial waters. Some of the major measures incorporated in
the rules for regulation of fishing are:
20
²² Prohibition of the use of any gill net having a stretched mesh size less than 25 mm from knot to knot,
²² Prohibition of the use of shrimp trawl net having a stretched mesh size less than 37 mm at the cod end.
²² Prohibition of fish trawl nets having a stretched mesh size less than 75 mm at the wings and 40 mm at the cod-
end.
²² For conservation of fishery resources, fishing by paired trawling or purse-seine nets by any fishing vessel
irrespective of their size and power of the engine, is prohibited in the entire coastal area of Puducherry UT in
the territorial waters.
²² Declaration from time to time, of closed season for fishing in a specified area.
²² Prohibition of bottom trawling within three nautical miles from the coast-line.
²² Prohibiting the catching of any particular species of fish during any particular season and the species that are
covered under the Wild Life (Protection) Act.
Besides these measures, the Marine Fishing Regulation Rules also provide for prohibition of fishing by mechanised
fishing vessels within three nautical miles from the coast-line, prohibition of fishing within 100 m below the river
mouth; fishing by non-mechanised fishing vessels within three nautical miles from the coast-line using gears such
as hook and line and boat seine; restriction in the number of mechanised fishing vessels that can fish in a particular
area, and prescription of a specified time for fishing operation by mechanised fishing vessels which go for day fishing.
2.7 Performance of fisheries policy and fisheries management

The UT of Puducherry does not have an exclusive fishery policy. For all practical purposes, the measures spelt out in
the Comprehensive Marine Fishing Policy, 2004, notified by the Government of India are complied with.
The Puducherry Marine Fishing Regulation Act (PMFRA), 2008 was notified on 14th October 2008 and the Rules
thereon during the year 2009 (on 6th October 2009) and their full enforcement are yet to gain momentum. There is
no scheme/programme for Fisheries Management in the 11th Five Year Plan schemes, as evidenced by the absence of
any budget provision for this important activity. In the absence of any budgetary support for fisheries management
it is unclear as to how the Puducherry Fisheries Department will be in a position to enforce the PMFRA and the
Puducherry Marine Fishing Regulation Rules.
2.8 Environmental factors affecting fisheries

The coastal waters of Puducherry receive discharges from 4 major industrial complexes including untreated municipal
sewage from urban settlements and tourist resorts. The other source of marine pollution includes tourism activities
which lead to dumping of plastic and other solid wastes by tourists on the beaches.
Number of Industries and liquid and solid waste generated in Puducherry
Sl. No Coastal States No. of industries Effluent generated (cu.m/day) Solid waste (tpd)
1 Puducherry 4 6000 1.25
(Source: Ramachandran, S. 2001)
2.9 Structure and organisation of fishing communities, stakeholder sectoral

institutions and their performance
In most traditional small scale fishing communities the men go into the sea to harvest fish while the post harvest
activities of retail as well as processing are done mostly by women.
21
The stakeholder institutions are the ‘informal’ (from the legal point of view) traditional panchayats and the formal
institutions which are mostly the fishing cooperatives and self help groups. The traditional panchayats are dealt with
under the structure of communities.
2.10 Employment and Livelihoods

Occupational Profile
In the Union of Puducherry out of 43,028 fisher folk population 10,341 are active fishermen. The members
involved in other fishing allied activities are 6,393 in marketing of fish, 6,030 in making / repairing net, 364 in
curing / processing, 714 are labourers and 1,989 are in other allied activities. Thus, a total of 10,095 are involved in
fishing and fishing allied activities. 1,967 fishermen are engaged in occupation other than fishing. A total of 22,133
fishermen are totally occupied (Marine Fisheries Census 2005, CMFRI).
In Puducherry region out of 10,270 fishermen 2,539 are engaged full time in fishing, 1,166 are engaged as part time
fishermen and 5,542 are engaged fishing allied activities.
In Karaikal region there are 1031 fulltime fishermen, 780 part time fishermen and the fishermen who are involved
in allied activities are 718 in marketing of fish, 33 in repairing of boats, 112 in processing of fish, 14 in fish and
prawn seed collection and 232 in other relative activities.
2.11 Marine Fisheries, Fishers’ Welfare and related Programmes

The Union Territory is promoting development of sustainable and responsible fisheries and the following important
programmes inter alia are being implemented. To disseminate technical know-how in fisheries technology, fishermen
youth are being deputed to various Central/State Training Institute for undergoing training. Further a short-term
training programme is organized for fishermen on post-harvest technology.
To strengthen and for better functioning of the primary cooperative societies, financial assistance is extended in the
form of share capital contribution and loan for various purposes such as for the purchase of site, construction of
building and purchase of vehicle, medium term loan/working capital and furniture subsidy.
For effective and judicious exploitation of vast and rich fishery resources from marine and inland waters and to
minimise the burden of the fishermen on the procurement of fishery requisites like nets, ropes, floats, sinkers,
nylon twine, fish containers, ice boxes and other requisites, adequate financial support is being provided by the UT
Administration.
Assistance proposed to be provided during the financial year 2011-2012 for marine fisheries development and
fishermen welfare (Annual Plan 2011-2012 of Puducherry Government).
• 50% subsidy will be granted for purchase of 25 Steel boats, 5 Wooden boats, 60 FRP catamaran, 250 Inland
Wooden Cattamaran, 5 FRP Vallam , 25 FRP boats, 25 Beach landing crafts and 25 FRP Nava with nets.
• Grant of 50% subsidy to a maximum of Rs. 250,000 for Modernisation/Conversion of existing mechanized
fishing boats and to a maximum of Rs. 100,000 for strengthening of existing FRP Mechanised Boats to 20
beneficiaries.
• Reactivation charges @ Rs. 20,000/- and Rs. 10,000/- for 350 nos. of Wooden Mechanised Boats/ Steel Boats
and FRP boats respectively, due to ban on fishing.
• Grant of 75% subsidy to boat owners on the annual premium paid by them for insuring their Mechanized boats.
• 50% Subsidy for purchase of Mopeds with Ice box, Auto goods carrier, Mini truck, Mini Lorry, and Insulated
fish van will be granted to 20 fishermen beneficiaries for transport of fish.
• 75% subsidy for purchase of Fish vendor kit and Mobile Sea Food sales van to 2000 and 5 fisherwomen/FCS
members respectively.
22
• Construction of Wholesale cum Retail Fish Market, Fish Landing Jetty, Fish Drying Platform at Yanam.
• Grant of Fair price shop subsidy, Furniture Subsidy, Computer Subsidy to 10 nos. of Fishermen/fisher women
co-operative societies, besides release of Grant-in-aid to Pondicherry State Fishermen Co-operative Federation,
Fish Farmers Development Agency and Fishing Harbour Management Society.
• Rs. 9.00 million worth of Fishery requisites at subsidized cost will be distributed to fishermen through fishermen
co-operatives.
• 22,000 fishermen families will be assisted with Rs. 200/- cash and free clothing during lean season besides
distribution of Rs. 2750 as cash per family during ban period.
• Cash awards to 300 meritorious fishermen students and Financial assistance to fishermen students admitted in
professional courses through CENTAC.
• 7,000 Old aged fisher folk will be granted with Old Age Pension @ Rs. 750/- per month.
• Grant of Immediate Relief @ Rs. 200,000/- to the families of deceased fishermen in the event of his accidental
death, Financial assistance @ Rs. 100,000/- to the families of Missing fishermen, while fishing in sea and
Rs. 3,000 to families of deceased old age pensioners to meet out their funeral expenses.
• Conduct of study tour and training Programmes to fishermen/fisher women and Celebration of World Fisheries
Day.
• Setting up of Puducherry Fisheries and Fishermen’s Development Corporation and Oceanarium and also
Establishment of Residential Schools for fishermen children in the U.T. of Puducherry.
• Provision of funds to meet out the balance cost for construction of Mahe fishing Harbour.
• Grant of subsidy assistance to fishermen/fisher women/SHG to carry out alternative livelihood practices like
cage culture, pen culture, etc. and also for establishment of Aquashops.
2.12 Budget allocation for fisheries development in Puducherry

There are 11 schemes in the fisheries sector of Puducherry, of which 7 relate to marine fisheries, welfare and related
activities, for which a total 11th Five Year Plan outlay of Rs. 1105.775 million has been approved by the Planning
Commission. The outlay and expenditure incurred for the fisheries development programmes in Puducherry Union
Territory during the first 4 years of 11th Plan period are as under:
(Rs. in million)
Eleventh Five Year Plan 2007-12 Outlay : 1105.775
Annual Plan 2007-09 Actual Expenditure : 276.732
Annual Plan 2009-10 Approved Outlay : 279.10
Annual Plan 2009-10 Actual Expenditure : 240.33
Annual Plan 2010-11 Approved Outlay : 350.00
Annual Plan 2010-11 Anticipated Expenditure : 230.00
Annual Plan 2011-2012 Proposed Outlay : 350.00
Out of the 10 approved schemes, two each relate to marine fisheries development and infrastructure and one scheme
each on strengthening of fisheries cooperatives, provision of subsidy to fishermen for supply of fishing requisites and
welfare of fishermen.
23
The details of these seven schemes which pertain to the marine fisheries infrastructure and welfare of fishermen, are
given in the following table:
(Rs. in million)
Eleventh Five Annual Annual Annual

Annual Plan
Year Plan Plan Plan Plan
Sl. 2010-11 2011-2012
Name of the Scheme 2007-12 2008-09 2009-10
No.
Actual Actual Appvd. Revised Proposed
Outlay
Expdr. Exp. Outlay Outlay Outlay
(1) (2) (3) (5) (6) (7) (8)
1 Development of marine 172.00 17.38 33.88 42.05 22.05 30.00
fisheries through mechanisation
and reimbursement of sales tax
on HSD oil.
2. Assistance to small scale 8.60 0.036 -- -- -- --
fishermen
3. Development of shore based 86.045 7.971 6.424 17.67 12.67 31.22
facilities, ice plants, service
unit, infra-structure facilities
and quick transport facilities
4. Strengthening of Fisheries 22.075 9.826 11.53 24.178 23.524 25.00
Coopera-tive Institutions
5. Supply of subsidised fishery 18.50 6.90 -- -- -- --
requisites to fishermen
6. Welfare and relief for fishermen 720.675 180.025 126.985 147.991 147.991 148.00
during lean seasons and natural
calamities
7. Creation of Infrastructural 15.00 40.00 -- -- -- --
facilities in Tsunami affected
areas
Total 1042.895 262.138 178.819 231.889 206.235 234.22
(Source : Puducherry Government Annual Action Plan 2011-12)
Out of the total 11th Five Year Plan outlay of Rs. 1105.775 million, Rs. 720.675 million is towards the programmes
for welfare of fishermen, which constitutes about 65% of the total outlay. Virtually there is no budgetary provision
available for marine fisheries management in Puducherry during the 11th Five Year Plan period.
2.13 Major Issues

The major issues listed under Tamil Nadu in Para 1.15 are equally applicable to Puducherry as well, as the nature of
the coastline, the fisheries, composition of marine fish species, the craft and gear, the fishing methods, the structure
and culture of the fishing community, etc., are similar to one another.
24
3. Concluding remarks
3. Concluding remarks
Tamil Nadu and Puducherry face considerable challenges in the development and management of its marine fishery
resources for a number of reasons. The fishery resources are diverse and the artisanal and small-scale fishermen
operate from hundreds of landing centres dispersed along the coast.
The open access nature of marine capture fisheries is one of the major reasons for depletion, economic waste and
conflict among user groups. Without adequate control over access, these consequences will become increasingly
severe and further impede the sustainable management of fishery resources. With an open access regime, no catch
limits have been set on effort or the catch. The existing regulatory policies restrict the fishing season, fishing areas
and the mesh size of gear. However, there is no monitoring and surveillance system available with the concerned
implementing organisations.
A major chunk of the Plan outlay (Budget) for Fisheries is earmarked for welfare of fishermen and subsidies, rather
than for any management initiatives. Virtually there is no budget provision made for management and conservation
of marine fisheries resources either in Tamil Nadu or in Puducherry, as evidenced by the budgetary outlay provided
for the fisheries sector during the 11th Five Year Plan period.
The fisheries in the region predominantly consist of artisanal operators exploiting the coastal resources. In majority
of cases the operation is at subsistence level. A good number of fishermen are wage earners who do not possess any
fishing unit. The earning depends on the quantum of catch. The dependency on the wage earner in a household is
generally too high in the absence of alternate avenues of employment for other members of the household. Price of
fish is generally dictated by the export ability of the produce. The post-harvest infrastructure is insufficient to absorb
the glut in production and to channelise the surplus into the domestic market in the event of a slump in export
trade.
The development of the deep-sea fishery industry is of concern to the entire marine fishery sector because it will
have considerable impact on the management of near shore fisheries, shore based infrastructure utilisation and
post-harvest activities, both for domestic marketing and export. The new entrants in the capture sector with capital-
intensive vessels and technologies is exerting pressure on the fishery resource outside the traditional fishing limits and
often make ingress into the inshore waters triggering off inter-sectoral clashes.
25
Bibliography
1. Bavinck Maarten, 2005. Understanding Fisheries Conflicts in the South—A Legal Pluralist Perspective.
Taylor & Francis Inc. ISSN : 0894-1920 Society and Natural Resources, 18:805–820.
2. CMFRI, 2006. Marine Fisheries Census 2005, Part I, Government of India Ministry of Agriculture, Department
of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries & Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, 104 p. Cochin
3. Department of Fisheries & Fishermen Welfare, Puducherry, 2010. Puducherry Fisheries Statistics at a Glance,
2010 (personal communication).
4. Flewwelling, P. & Hosch, G. 2006. Country Review for East India. In: The State of the World Marine Capture
Fisheries Management: Indian Ocean. C. De Young ed. FAO Technical Report No. 489. Rome.
5. Government of Puducherry, 2010. Region-wise Socio-economic Statistics of U.T of Puducherry, 2010, as

contained in the Government Diary 2010.
6. Government of Puducherry. 2011. Budget Speech of The CM, Puducherry.
7. Govt. of Tamil Nadu. 2011. Fisheries Policy Note 2011-2012. AH, D and Fisheries Department. 9 September
2011. 66 pp.
8. Jallaludhin, Sheik, 2010. Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries. Manuscript, 16 pp (personal communication)
9. Kurup, B.M. 2001. Experiences from the seasonal closure of bottom trawling in Kerala (South India) on the
exploited fisheries resources. In: S. Goddard et al. (Eds). Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Fisheries,
Aquaculture and Environment in the NW Indian Ocean, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat Oman, pp98-106.
10. Matthew, S. 2003. Trade in Fisheries and Human Development. Country Case Study - India. Asia Pacific Regional
Initiative on Trade, Economic Governance, and Human Development. UNDP. Asia.
11. MoA, 2009. Hand Book of Fisheries Statistics, 2008.
12. Mohan Joseph, M and Pillai, N.G.K., 2007. Status and Perspectives in Marine Fisheries Research in India.
Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute. ISBN : 81-901219-6-0.
13. Narayankumar, R., Sathiadhas, R. and Aswathy, N.2009. Economic performance of marine fishing methods in
India. Mar. Fish. Infor. Serv. T & E Ser. 200:3-15.
14. Ramachandran, S. 2001. Coastal Environment and Management. Institute of Ocean Management, Anna
University, Chennai, 347 pp.
15. Sampath, V. 2003. India – National Report on the Status and Development Potential of the Coastal and Marine
Environment of the East Coast of India and its Living Resources. GEF PDF Block B Phase of FAO/BOBLME
Programme, November 2003. 295 pp.
16. Vivekanandan, E. 2002. Marine fisheries and fish biodiversity in India. Madras Research Centre of Central Marine
Fisheries Research Institute, Chennai. 19pp.
17. WAPCOS, 2009. Reconstruction and modernization of fishing harbour at Puducherry & Karaikal – Fisheries
Sectoral Analysis, Final Report, October 2009. 206 pp.
26
Tables 1-5
Table – 1a : District-wise coastline length in Tamil Nadu

Sl. No. Coastal District Coastal length (Km)
1. Chennai 19.0
2. Thiruvallur 27.9
3. Villupuram 40.7
4. Pudukottai 42.8
5. Thanjavur 45.1
6. Thiruvarur 47.2
7. Tirunelveli 48.9
8. Cuddalore 57.5
9. Kanyakumari 71.5
10. Kanchipuram 87.2
11. Tuticorin 163.5
12. Nagapattinam 187.9
13. Ramanathauram 236.8
Total 1076.0
Table - 1b : Marine Fish Production 1990-2011 (Tamil Nadu & Puducherry)

(in ’000 tonnes)
Sl. No. Years Tamil Nadu Puducherry
1 1990-91 288.95 30.62
2 1991-92 301.00 32.68
3 1992-93 308.00 35.00
4 1993-94 317.72 37.78
5 1994-95 330.72 36.75
6 1995-96 341.32 36.82
7 1996-97 350.79 38.55
8 1997-98 356.49 38.42
9 1998-99 377.48 38.60
10 1999-2000 373.92 38.62
11 2000-01 372.40 38.95
12 2001-02 373.86 39.60
13 2002-03 379.21 40.11
14 2003-04 381.15 42.80
15 2004-05 307.69 31.50
16 *2005-06 389.71 33.48
17 *2006-07 392.19 33.79
18 *2007-08 393.27 33.72
19 *2008-09 397.00 34.55
20 *2009-10 401.13 36.10
21 2010-11 404.40 39.00
(Source : Ministry of Agriculture, Handbook on Fisheries Statistics, 2006){*Tamil Nadu Fisheries Dept. Policy Notes
(2006-07 to 2011-12) & Director of Fisheries, Puducherry. 2010 & Nov. 2011}
27
Table - 2 : Species-wise Marine Fish Production of Tamil Nadu (2003-09)

(Quantity in Tonnes)
Sl. No. Name of Fish 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09
1 Sharks 3370 2755 6026 7952 7086 8460
2 Skates & Rays 27575 14949 15056 13972 11991 8022
3 Eels 143 412 5260 5791 351 397
4 Cat fishes 3455 2184 7962 8946 3955 4130
5 Chirocentrus 8636 4870 17718 18737 24330 24462
6 Oil Sardines 76 0 1763 1480 4871 5242
7 Lesser Sardines 69909 44202 43500 48590 31490 31690
8 Hilsa ilisha 965 629 62 59 181 198
9 O. ilisha -- -- 122 113 10 12
10 Anchoveilla 5562 4388 10333 10789 13610 15925
11 Thrissocles 2457 1975 7269 7279 2654 4527
12 Other Clupeids 4566 2741 7253 6937 18246 18545
13 Horpodon nehereus 24 28 -- -- -- --
14 Saurida & Saurus 473 743 384 660 653 1112
15 Hemirhamphus & Belone 2356 3749 1778 1627 2273 2422
16 Flying fish 1544 1439 1573 1615 1614 3892
17 Perches 15925 15567 20554 19906 20933 23867
18 Red Mullets 8353 7205 10450 9314 8996 13185
19 Polynemids 1362 1415 998 1157 1810 1866
20 Sciaenids 13390 8544 10895 9895 10920 12628
21 Ribbon fish 9 850 340 314 3206 2422
22 Caranx 15540 12468 10053 10310 11525 11675
23 Chorinemus 1668 1135 1093 1048 1527 1747
24 Trachynotus -- -- 192 220 865 953
25 Other Carangids 1446 2211 114 97 6 8
26 Elagathis 967 1177 136 176 500 516
27 Silver bellies 34517 33299 23472 22024 31366 31770
28 Lactarius 72 661 531 503 318
29 Pomfrets 1840 1404 2149 2951 2015 2065
30 Mackerel 11009 13028 21301 21457 11633 11556
31 Seer fish 6600 6524 7882 7867 5960 8935
32 Tunnies 3726 2508 2630 3075 4835 4845
33 Sphyreana 2618 2395 4470 4188 2161 2224
34 Mullets 248 768 1131 1556 2497 2541
35 Bregmoceros 1590 1852 993 2065
36 Soles 3312 1259 201 190 7132 7108
37 Penaeid Prawns 16848 18636 42095 41792 21701 29864
38 Non-penaeid prawns 11755 4263 1250 1183 950 7982
39 Lobsters 737 1247 279 288 628 635
40 Crabs 19104 13973 27026 25710 24268 26885
41 Cephalopods 13571 7006 10500 10473 6325 6116
42 Miscellaneous 54133 50764 48965 47934 69302 37508
43 Drapone 129 114 324 238
44 Lethrinus 5497 7397 6746 6024 6571 6473
45 Sillago 1909 2923 940 1105 4758 4646
46 Balistis 3582 2805 5376 4750 5713 5202
47 Ora 299 1197 167 170 231 238
TOTAL 381148 307693 389714 392191 393266 397117
28
Tables 1-5
Table - 2 (Cont.) : Species-wise Marine Fish Production in Puducherry

(2005-2010) (Quantity in Tonnes)
Sl. No. Name of Fish 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10
1 Elasmobranchs 940.10 840.95 1158.00 1245.55 1155.70
2 Oil Sardines 1857.00 1776.50 1744.40 1736.30 1803.70
3 Lesser Sardines 1448.00 1446.40 1603.90 2600.40 2707.00
4 Anchoveilla 346.10 625.75 690.50 619.90 628.10
5 Thrissocles 290.20 411.30 501.50 526.60 568.50
6 Hilsa ilisha 220.00 13.50 40.50 8.50 10.00
7 O. ilisha -- 10.00 159.90 10.50 24.50
8 Other Clupeids 697.30 593.30 494.40 854.00 874.20
9 Chirocentrus 398.00 384.50 136.95 153.60 299.90
10 Horpodon nehereus 111.80 110.30 140.10 149.50 184.50
11 Cat fishes 608.00 446.60 337.50 719.20 702.20
12 Saurida & Saurus 727.00 718.00 450.30 442.50 591.90
13 Eel 36.40 50.40 58.70 26.00 15.10
14 Hemirhamphus & Belone 74.30 130.20 317.60 279.20 304.40
15 Flying fish 80.00 217.00 319.60 429.60 428.20
16 Bregmoceros 36.00 734.50 487.70 241.80 254.70
17 Sphyreana 662.00 785.60 482.60 612.10 749.60
18 Mullets 1058.00 1029.70 799.60 859.40 980.80
19 Polynemids 345.50 528.20 580.00 145.10 273.30
20 Perches 1610.50 1668.10 1844.10 1698.50 1741.10
21 Perch-like fishes 425.90 617.20 428.60 541.20 719.90
22 Lactarius 72.90 256.20 422.75 327.90 300.20
23 Caranx 1567.50 842.70 1026.30 1453.60 1556.00
24 Chorinemus 655.00 579.80 226.20 377.90 378.40
25 Elagathis 776.50 709.80 143.40 207.30 245.20
26 Other Carangids 1110.60 970.90 955.70 446.20 389.50
27 Leiognathus 1837.00 1751.20 1485.80 1710.60 1728.40
28 Sciaenids 774.50 759.00 379.60 478.80 507.00
29 Red Mullets 796.90 779.30 558.00 845.40 845.20
30 Ribbon fish 476.70 588.20 878.50 711.40 687.90
31 Mackerel 1982.30 1979.90 2246.10 2282.00 2200.00
32 Seer fish 1497.20 1648.30 1910.50 1922.40 2018.40
33 Tunnies 1054.40 1043.60 1352.00 1469.70 1810.50
34 Pomfrets 977.50 890.40 814.10 837.60 807.90
35 Soles 740.00 856.60 541.90 633.60 815.60
36 Penaeid Prawns 1762.80 1689.90 1674.00 1558.60 1711.90
37 N.P.Prawns 210.60 316.20 398.10 357.00 298.10
38 Lobsters 17.00 28.70 33.50 28.00 153.70
39 Deepsea lobsters -- 30.00 23.20 20.10 33.00
40 Other crustaceans 595.10 672.50 671.40 605.30 632.20
41 Molluscs 1069.00 777.80 1262.90 1531.85 1473.60
42 Miscellaneous 3534.40 3483.00 3492.00 2846.60 2490.00
TOTAL 33480.00 33792.00 33272.40 34550.40 36100.00
(Source : Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Department of Fisheries – Personal communication)
29
Table - 3 : MARINE FISH PRODUCTION IN TAMIL NADU (2003-04)
(GEAR-WISE & DISTRICT-WISE) (Quantity in Tonnes)
Sl. Name of Nagai &

Chennai Ramnad Tuticorin TOTAL %
No. Gear Tiruvarur
Thanjavur
Cuddalore
Tirunelveli
Villupuram
Thiruvallur
Pudukkottai
Kanyakumari
Kanchipuram
1 Drag Gear
a) Trawl net 6397 0 219 0 11445 22005 2464 31867 74818 24633 0 472 174320 45.74
2 Gill Nets 8282 2132 9200 7815 29258 19831 7786 4056 15350 4541 4324 6943 119518 31.36
3 Seine Nets 249 0 507 134 0 36 0 18 2746 159 0 3712 7561 1.98
4 Tangle Nets 442 394 2175 1183 3161 1898 12400 17348 8841 1760 1525 582 51709 13.57
5 Lift Nets 347 0 49 0 2699 216 0 13 132 488 108 48 4100 1.08
6 Hook Net 2566 98 1281 12 28 1763 0 4170 1904 1329 59 8536 21746 5.71
7 Bag Nets 0 0 0 0 545 78 0 0 207 0 0 102 932 0.24
8 Falling Gears 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1262 0 0 0 1262 0.33
30
9 Others 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
TOTAL 18283 2624 13431 9144 47136 45827 22650 57472 105260 32910 6016 20395 381148 100.00
Percentage 4.80 0.69 3.52 2.40 12.37 12.02 5.94 15.08 27.62 8.63 1.58 5.35 100.00
(Source: Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department, 2010. Personal Communication)
Table - 4 : Disposition of Fish catches in Tamil Nadu & Puducherry during 2000-2005
Sl. Mode of disposition TAMIL NADU PUDUCHERRY
No. of fish catch 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
1 Marketing 328828 331535 421149 421149 399702 545553 34834 34950 32000 33600 39345 24279
2 Freezing 33120 36566 54676 54676 54676 54676 55 57 435 516 475 275
3 Curing -- -- 6936 6936 6936 6936 8677 8681 7600 7980 8156 4712
4 Reduction 49831 46317 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
5 Unspecified 63308 63381 2675 2675 2675 2675 -- -- -- -- -- --
6 others 7449 12710 2115 2115 2115 2115 -- -- -- -- -- 1
TOTAL 482536 490509 487551 487551 466104 611955 43566 43688 40035 42096 47976 29267
(Source: Hand Book on Fisheries Statistics, 2006. Govt. of India, Ministry of Agriculture, Dept. of AH,D & Fy, May 2007)
Table - 5 : Fishermen welfare schemes implemented by Fishermen Welfare Board in Tamil Nadu
Sl. No. Relief/Assistance Amount (Rs.)
1 Accident Relief
i. Death due to accident 1,00,000
ii. Loss of both hands 1,00,000
iii. Loss of both legs 1,00,000
iv. Loss of one hand and one leg 1,00,000
v. Loss of sight in both eyes 1,00,000
vi. Loss of limbs due to major injuries other than the above items 50,000
2 Death during fishing or after fishing other than accidental death 20,000
3 Fishermen missing during fishing 1,00,000
4 Natural death 10,000
5 Funeral expenses 2,500
6 Assistance for education of son or daughter of Member Day Scholars Hostellers
Boys Girls Boys Girls
31
i. Pass in 10th Std. 1250 1500 -- --
ii. Pass in 12th Std. 1750 2000 -- --
iii. ITI & Polytechnic 1240 1750 1450 1950
iv. Bachelor Degree in Arts 1750 2250 2000 2500
v. Post Graduate Degree 2250 2750 3250 3750
vi. Professional courses (law, engineering, medicine, etc) 4250 4750 6250 6750
vii. Post Graduate Professional Courses
7 Marriage assistance Men Women
i. To a Member 3000 5000
ii. To a son or daughter of a Member 3000 5000
8 Delivery or miscarriage of Pregnancy or termination of pregnancy
Delivery 6000
Miscarriage 3000
Termination 3000
9 Old age pension/month (Above 65 years) 400
Tables 1-5
FIMSUL : FISHERIES MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS
FIMSUL PROJECT, FAO OF THE UNITED NATIONS
www.acedata-india.net
Department of Fisheries, First Floor, Administrative Building

DMS Complex, Teynampet, CHENNAI 600 006
http://sites.google.com/site/fimsul/
Email: fimsul@gmail.com

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Cover photograph : Sorting fish in Tranquebar.

Photo Courtesy Philip Townsley / FIMSUL

Work-Package 2 : Fisheries Policy Analysis

CHARACTERISATION OF MARINE FISHERIES SECTOR IN

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/THE WORLD BANK

Government of Tamil Nadu

WORK PACKAGE 1 : STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS & Mr. Philip Townsley

WORK PACKAGE 2 : FISHERIES POLICY ANALYSIS Dr. Arthur E. Neiland

WORK PACKAGE 3 : LIVELIHOOD SUPPORT & Mr. Philip Townsley

WORK PACKAGE 4 : INSTITUTIONAL AND Dr. V. Suresh

WORK PACKAGE 5 : FISHERIES MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Mr. V. Vivekanandan

WORK PACKAGE 6 : LIVELIHOODS STATUS AND Mr. Philip Townsley

WORK PACKAGE 7 : FUTURE PLANNING Dr. Arthur E. Neiland

Profile of Marine Fisheries Sector in Tamil Nadu

Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... iii

1. Profile of Marine Fisheries Sector in Tamil Nadu. ................................................................................................. 1

1.1 General Information....................................................................................................................................................... 1

1.2 Objectives of Fisheries Department................................................................................................................................ 2

1.3 Marine Fisheries Resources............................................................................................................................................. 2

1.4 Marine Fish Production................................................................................................................................................. 3

1.5 Fish Utilisation and Trade.............................................................................................................................................. 5

1.6 Current fisheries management system in Tamil Nadu.................................................................................................... 6

1.7 Performance of fisheries policy and fisheries management............................................................................................. 6

1.8 Environmental factors affecting fisheries ....................................................................................................................... 7

1.10 Employment and Livelihoods......................................................................................................................................... 9

1.11 Marine Fisheries Schemes/Programmes.......................................................................................................................... 9

1.11.1 Development and Management Programmes................................................................................................................. 9

1.11.2 Infrastructure Facilities................................................................................................................................................. 11

1.11.3 Fishers’ Welfare Programmes........................................................................................................................................ 13

1.11.4 Fishermen Relief Schemes............................................................................................................................................ 14

1.11.5 Special Projects............................................................................................................................................................. 15

1.11.6 Budget allocation for fisheries development in T. Nadu ............................................................................................. 16

1.11.7 Major Issues................................................................................................................................................................. 17

2. Profile of Marine Fisheries Sector in Puducherry................................................................................................. 18

2.1 General information..................................................................................................................................................... 18

2.2 Objectives of Fisheries Department.............................................................................................................................. 18

2.3 Marine Fisheries Resources........................................................................................................................................... 18

2.5 Fish Utilisation and Trade............................................................................................................................................ 20

2.6 Current fisheries management system in Tamil Nadu.................................................................................................. 20

2.7 Performance of fisheries policy and fisheries management........................................................................................... 21

2.8 Environmental factors affecting fisheries ..................................................................................................................... 21

2.10 Employment and Livelihoods....................................................................................................................................... 22

2.11 Marine Fisheries, Fishers’ Welfare and related Programmes ........................................................................................ 22

2.12 Budget allocation for fisheries development in Puducherry.......................................................................................... 23

2.13 Major Issues................................................................................................................................................................. 24

1. Profile of Marine Fisheries Sector in Tamil Nadu

1.2 Objectives of Fisheries Department

²² To strengthen the infrastructure facilities for fish landing and marketing.

²² To uplift the socio-economic status of the fishers.

²² To promote sustainable, eco-friendly aquaculture practices.

²² To generate rural employment opportunities in Fisheries and allied activities.

1.3 Marine Fisheries Resources

A rough calculation of the above said areas is:

i) Inshore belt : 16,058 km

ii) Offshore ground : 7,197 km

iii) Deep sea area : 18,157 km

Wedge Bank - Palk bay

1.4 Marine Fish Production

• Improving the living standards of fisher folk by implementing welfare Schemes.

• Providing social security to the fisher folk by implementing relief Schemes.

• Protecting the fishing rights of the fishermen.

• Promoting sustainable eco-friendly aquaculture practices.