Marine fisheries and biodiversity management in Maharashtra: Status, challenges and opportunities

Fisheries plays a pivotal role in the economy, food security, foreign exchange earnings and employment of coastal population. Maharashtra is bestowed with coastline 720 km spread over 7 districts, viz. Thane, Palghar, Mumbai city, suburban, Raigad, Ratnagiri Sindhudurg along Arabian sea rich marine fishery resources. There are 25 fishing zones seven districts 173 fish landing centres. The total production from state during 2018-19 was 4.6 MT valued at `6298 crores (DOF, Government Maharashtra). offers huge potential for sustainable utilization bioresources fisheries, mariculture, aquaculture post -harvest development exports. falls under North- West coast which contributes highest (32.8%) catch 2019-20. major share contributed by pelagic resources (39%), followed crustaceans (31%), demersal comprising 22% molluscs (7%). prominent species/groupwise landings include non-penaeid shrimp (21%), penaeid (9%), Bombay duck croakers (8.2%), Indian mackeral (6.9%), threadfin breams (5.9%), squids (5.1%), ribbon fishes (4.1%), golden anchovy (4%), horse mackerel (3.5%), cuttle (2.1%), silver pomfret (2.0%). trawl accounted 55%, set bagnet (SBN/Dolnet) 23%, purse seines (15%) gillnet (7%) (CMFRI Annual Report 2019).