Kerala Fisheries Minister K. Babu has stressed on the need for sound fisheries management in the existing fisheries scenario to arrest the continued deterioration of coastal fishery resources.

Many of the coastal fisheries, he said, are impacted by a number of issues such as overfishing and habitat degradation with adverse consequences on fishers’ income, fish supply and living conditions of coastal communities. Besides, the competition among small- and large-scale fishers in the region has intensified resource depletion and increased social conflicts.

The Minister was inaugurating an international workshop on fisheries management organised jointly by Ministry of External Affairs and Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) for participants from Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IORARC) here.

According to the Minister, the coastal fishery resources of most of the RIM countries were getting depleted, affecting the lives of fishing communities. Quoting FAO’s recent assessment, he said around 60 per cent of the commercial fish stocks are overfished while 30 per cent have reached full exploitation levels.

“It is high time that we focussed on changing the way the world manages global fisheries to ensure sustainable stocks and maintaining healthy ocean eco system,” he added.

Delivering the presidential address, B. Madhusoodhana Kurup, Vice-Chancellor, KUFOS, said a sound data base on exploited fisheries resources is essential for a sustainable and responsible fisheries management. Managing fish and fishermen is a big challenge in the countries bordering the Indian Ocean and it requires a balancing act for a sustainable harvest level and the maximum economic value for the fisheries.

He emphasised the need for better transparency in the usage of science and technology to improve the lives of fishermen. A recurring complaint from fishermen is that many of the decisions that affect their ability to make a living are made behind closed doors. This situation calls for robust public participation and a very transparent process needs to be effectively implemented.

He also called for joint and coordinated efforts to reduce the fishing pressure to sustainable levels throughout the Indian Ocean by member countries.

Dominic Presentation, MLA and former Kerala Fisheries Minister, said the question of how to preserve marine wealth is a major problem faced by many countries. Likewise, the transformation of fishing operations from primitive to modern methods is also a challenge, he added.

Representatives from Indian Ocean Rim countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Yemen, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, and Mozambique are participating in the 12-day workshop.

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