Existing Problems of Fish Farming in Indian Agriculture

Fisheries in India, is yet another important economic activity especially creating employment in rural sector. This flourishing sector has varied resources and potentials. Only after independence, fisheries together with agriculture have been recognized as a vital sector with regards to generating income. The vibrancy of the sector can be visualized by the eleven fold increase that India achieved in fish production in just six decades, i.e. from 0.75 million tonnes in 1950-51 to 9.6 million tonnes during 2012-13. This resulted in an unparalleled average annual growth rate of over 4.5 per cent over the years which have placed the country on the forefront of global fish production, only after China. Besides meeting the domestic needs, the dependence of over 14.5 million people on fisheries activities for their livelihood and foreign exchange earnings to the tune of US $ 3.51 billion (2012-13) from fish and fisheries products, amply justifies the importance of the sector on the country’s economy and in livelihood security. Fish farming is a type of business that requires perseverance and adept skills. The first thing to be considered in order to be successful in this kind of business is to be aware of problems with fish farming.