Sustainable Seas, Thriving Livelihoods: A Comprehensive Guide to Fish Resource Management in India and Beyond

“The story of fisheries has a long and pressing background. Over thousands of years, the seas, rivers, and lakes have provided humans with a source of food, livelihoods, and cultural identities. In India, where the coast is 7,500 kilometres long, where there are extensive internal waters, and millions of people rely on fishing, the economic value of the resources of the fish is more than these statistical numbers. In coastal and riverine societies, fisheries are a way of life, an affordable source of nutrition to poor people, and the basis of customs that persist in shaping communal character.
This important sector, however, finds itself at a crossroads. Globally – and especially in India – fish stocks are under unprecedented pressure of overfishing, habitat degradation, climate change, and increasing competition over aquatic space. Indeed, catching fish is no longer a sustainable activity without strict control, informed oversight, and a vision to see what that would become when it faces the situation that takes into consideration both the integrity of the whole ecology and the welfare of people.
The idea to write this book emerged considering that the topic of fisheries management is not only a technical issue of fisheries management science or economics, but rather a more comprehensive issue that involves people, ecosystems, and policy. It attempts to present a comprehensive guide, which intertwines background science, the ways of managing, the emerging tools, and the realities of fishing communities. Spotlight is particularly put on India, not only because of the sheer reliance upon fisheries, but also since it presents a case study to better understand the possibilities and shortcomings of managing aquatic resources in a developing economy.
The book is outlined in three sections. The first introduces background by examining biological, ecological and socio-economic aspects of fisheries. The second explores core values, techniques, and institutional instruments of governing management at the national and international level. The third looks forward, addressing contemporary issues like climate change, aquaculture and the future of new technologies and new restoration procedures. Throughout, the scope is on the integration of ecological sustainability and equitable livelihoods, as one cannot reach success without the other.
The book is targeted to a broader audience, including students, researchers, policymakers, practitioners, as well as all interested parties with a stake in the future of fisheries. It is scientific in depth, but simple in language, with the purpose of connecting the gap between scientific knowledge and practical implementation. In the case of India, fishers, managers and communities, the book hopes to be more than a book of ideas; it is also a guide in designing its path towards resilient and thriving aquatic futures.
Ultimately, sustainable seas are not just about fish conservation; they are about the dignity of their dependent people, the protection and sustainability of ecosystems, and about a re-conception of how humanity asks seas to support it.”