Priorities and Strategies to Boost Incomes of Marine Fisher Folk in India

This paper presents a set of alternative strategies and options for enhancing the incomes of India's coastal fisher folk. Several options such as sustainable exploitation of deep sea and non-conventional resources, improving the efficiency of fishing through modernization/technological up-gradation of fishing fleet/gears, harnessing the potential of space and information communication technologies (ICT), intensification of mariculture, and strengthening fish value chains are discussed. The paper underlines that a thriving coastal fishery economy is necessary to meet the future demand for fish and fishery products in the country.