Advancing Small-Scale Fisheries:
India has taken over the Chairmanship of the Bay of Bengal Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO) from Bangladesh reinforcing its commitment to the blue economy.
- India aims to improve livelihoods, sustainability, and economic development of the Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF).
- It is a regional fisheries body supporting SSF in the Bay of Bengal.
- Members include Bangladesh, India, Maldives, and Sri Lanka, with Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand as cooperating non-contracting parties.
- SSF are traditional, low-capital fisheries by fishing households, using small vessels (if any), making short, nearshore trips either for subsistence or commercial purposes.
- India is the world’s 2nd largest fish producer, with 28 million people engaged in the sector.
- India is the 6th largest marine capture fish producer (1/3rd of the total fish production).
- India has 13 coastal States and UTs, a coastline of 7,516 km, and an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 2.20 million sq. km.
- India has 5 million active marine fishermen, with around 50% of the workforce being women.
