Fish Production and Fish Farming

Fisheries are an important source of many products that are very beneficial for commercial purposes. A fishery is a form of aquaculture that deals with the harvesting and rearing of fish. Fisheries are a very fast-growing sector in India. Fisheries are the source of a huge range of nutritional value, commerce, food options, income, etc. On average, around 500 million people are directly dependent on fisheries for their livelihood which is estimated to be around 250 billion U.S. dollars in global GDP.

What are Fisheries?

The term “fishery” means the culture and harvesting of fish species that have commercial and consumable value. It includes the judicious exploitation of all the natural resources that water can offer. Any industry that is associated with the capture, cultivation, processing, preservation, storage, transportation, marketing, and selling of fish or fish products is considered the fishing industry. The fishing industry depends on the fisheries for their fish requirements. It includes culture and processing of both freshwater and marine fishes.

What is Fish Production?

Fish production is a very complex process that includes capturing fish, rearing them in ideal conditions, storing their eggs for further generations, and processing them by following the microbiological, hydrobiological, chemical, limnological, etc. processes. It includes methods like;

1. Capture Fishery: When fishes are captured from their natural sources, it is called capture fishery.
2. Culture Fishery: When fishes are cultivated in man-made water bodies (marine as well as freshwater) it is referred to as fish farming or pisciculture.
3. Inland Fishery: When fish are cultivated in inland freshwater bodies like lakes, ponds, rivers, and water tanks are called inland fisheries.
4. Freshwater Fishery: When fish are cultivated exclusively in freshwater, it is called freshwater fishery.
5. Marine Fishery: When fish are cultivated from marine water bodies like sea or ocean, it is called marine fishery.
6. Pisciculture: When only commercially important plants like tuna, salmon, etc. are specifically cultivated in fish farms, it is called culture fishery.

Fish Farming

It is the process by which commercial cultivation and production of fish are done in an enclosed area. There are three types of fish farming;

1. Extensive Fish Farming: In this type of fish farming the natural sources of fish are used resulting in lesser economic and labour inputs.
2. Semi-Intensive Fish Farming: In this type of fish farming even though most natural sources of fish are used with man-made modifications to meet commercial needs. So, a moderate amount of economy and labor inputs are required.
3. Intensive Fish Farming: In this type of fish farming man-made sources for commercially important fish are used which requires a huge amount of economy and labor inputs.

Importance of Fishing

Following are some of the advantages of fishing;

1. Fishes are a good source of many types of nutritional components.
2. Fishes are a good source of delicacies around the world.
3. They are a major source of food.
4. They are a major source of income for many communities around the world.
5. Fishes are also used in the biological control of diseases like malaria, dengue, etc. which are caused by mosquitoes.
6. They show a wide range of anatomical and physiological features that make them an ideal model for various scientific studies.
7. Due to their wide range of morphological characteristics, they are also aesthetically valuable.
8. By-products like fish oil, fish manure, fish skin, pearls, etc. are very important for commercial purposes.

Some Commercially Valuable Fish Species

Commercially important fish species can be divided into freshwater species and marine water species;

Freshwater Species

Some of the most common and important freshwater species of fish are; Rohu (Labeo rohita), Mangur (Clarias batrachus), Calbasu (L. calbasu), Singhi (Heteropneustes fossilis), Catla (Catla catla), Malli (Wallago attu), Singhara (Mystus seenghala), and Mirgala (Cirrhinus mrigala).

Marine water Species

Some of the most common and important marine water species of fish are; Bombay duck (Harpodon sp), Mackerel (Rastrelliger), Eel (Anguilla sp.), Flying Fish (Exocoetus sp.), Hilsa (Hilsa sp.), Ribbon Fish (Trichiurus sp.), Pomfret (Stromateus sp.), Tuna (Thunnus sp.), Salmon (Aluitheronema sp.), Seer Fish (Scomberomorus sp.), and Sardine (Sardinella sp.).

FAQs on Fisheries

1. What is Fisheries?

The process of capturing, harvesting, and cultivating economically valuable fish species either in their natural habitat or in man-made habitat is called fisheries.

2. What are the Different Types of Fisheries?

Different types of fisheries are; Capture fisheries, culture fisheries, inland fisheries, freshwater fisheries, marine water fisheries, and Pisciculture.

3. What are Some Uses of Fisheries?

Some most common uses of fisheries are; for food production, for scientific studies, for pearl production, for fish oil production, for fish skin production, for fish manure production, etc.

4. What is the Role of Fisheries in India?

India has the second-largest aquaculture and third-largest fish production in the world. So, a huge number of the population especially the communities living on the coastlines are hugely dependent on fishing for their livelihood.

5. What are Some Demerits of Fisheries?

Some demerits of fisheries are;

1. Overfishing: Too much fishing causes loss of fish population and species.
2. Resource depletion: Fishing activities cause water pollution, loss of aquatic habitats, etc.