Evaluation Report on the Fishing Harbour Projects (March 1979-April 1980)

Abstract

India's coastline extends over 6000 kms, having a potential of about 4.5 million tonnes of exploitable fishery resources. It, however, ranks eighth among the major fishing nations of the world with a production of 1.71 million tonnes of marine fish in 1979-80. Prior to Independence, marine fishing was undertaken mainly through the traditional country crafts by fishermen whose operations were confined mostly to coastal regions. There were only 13 mechanised boats in operation at the commencement of the First Five Year Plan. The modernisation of fishing industry received impetus with the advent of the planning era. The main stress since has been on the introduction of mechanised boats. By the end of 1979-80 the number of mechanised boats had gone upto 16100 as against 2161 in 1961. The exports of marine products had also increased from about Rs. 4 crores in 1960-61 to Rs. 263 crores in 1979-80. The programme of mechanisation of fishing crafts was accompanied by the exploratory surveys of marine fisheries, establishment of institutions at selected centres for training of operatives, fisheries cooperatives, progressive use of synthetic materials for fishing gears, setting up of a number of ice plant-cum-processing and freezing plants.