Kochi, June 26 (IANS) India's marine fish production during 2017 went up by 5.6 per cent to touch 3.83 million tonnes, according to the Kochi-headquartered Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI).
The CMFRI figures released on Tuesday showed the estimated value of marine fish landings based on price at landing centres across the country during 2017 was Rs 52,431 crore, which was an increase of 8.4 per cent compared to 2016.
At the retail level, the estimated value of marine fish was Rs 78,408 crore (seven per cent increase over 2016).
Gujarat remained on top for the fifth consecutive year contributing 7.86 lakh tonnes (20.5 per cent of total landings) followed by Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
This is the highest catch after a record high landings in 2012, according to A. Gopalakrishnan, director of CMFRI.
the revival of oil sardine, especially in Kerala, played a major role in improving the country's marine fish production. Although, the east coast witnessed a decline with 83 per cent drop in Andhra Pradesh and 36 per cent in Tamil Nadu compared to 2016.
A total of 788 marine fish species landed in 2017 along the Indian coast with maximum numbers landing on Tamil Nadu coast followed by Kerala and Maharashtra.
Indian oil sardine topped the list of marine fishery resources with a landing of 3.37 lakh tonne (8.8 per cent of the total landings) registering an increase of 38 per cent all over India.
Indian mackerel, ribbon fishes, lesser sardines, penaeid prawns and non-penaeid prawns were the other major landings.
The CMFRI report pointed out that Cyclone Ockhi that hit during the end of 2017 had a devastating effect on the marine fisheries sectors of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Kerala suffered an estimated drop of around 35,000 tonne of fish due to Ockhi with an estimated economic loss of Rs 585 crore at landing centre level and Rs 821 crore at the retail level.
(This story has not been edited by Social News XYZ staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)