The Indian government has taken several steps to increase fish stocks and ensure sustainable fisheries, such as imposing a ban on outright fishing for 61 days during the monsoon season in the EEZ, banning destructive fishing methods like pair trawling or bull trawling and use of artificial LED light in fishing, discouraging juvenile fishing and promoting marine animal husbandry, setting up of artificial reefs, promoting mariculture activities including seaweed farming, etc.
In addition, coastal States/UTs are also implementing conservation and management measures such as gear-mesh size and engine power regulation, minimum legal size (MLS) of fish, zoning of fishing areas for different categories of fishing vessels, etc. As a result, as per the latest study conducted by ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) in 2022 it has been observed that, marine fish stocks of Indian waters are in good health and 91.1% of the 135 fish stocks assessed in different regions were found to be sustainable.
