ABSTRACT
Karnataka produces around 4.00 lakh tons of marine fish annually out of which around 30 per cen of high value shrimp and fish are exported. Around 1.5 lakh fishers are directly dependent upon fishing, and an equal number of people are involved in post-harvest and marketing activities. Coastal and marine ecosystems are under pressure from the migrant population, habitat change, thermal and oil refineries, sea level rise, acidification, resource over-exploitation and degradation, pollution, and altered freshwater flows. This chapterprovides evidence of over-exploitation of resources. One approach to minimise coastal ecosystem threats is to promote fisheries development that is compatible with fisheries resource management efforts. The purpose of this chapter is toassist social planners in pursuing strategies which result in biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation. The conservation strategies such as closed areas and seasons, restricting the destructive fishing practices, and reducing harmful subsidies, should be based on an integrated approach and address issues including land-based activities and weak institutions. The industrialisation of fishing and export-oriented market development should take into account local food accessibility and nutritional security. The chapterreviews the overall growth of marine fisheries in Karnataka and suggests the way forward.
