The Telegraph
9 September 2014
India’s rank as the second-largest fish producer in the world is nothing to cheer about, since it is a tenth that of the world No 1, according to a fisheries scientist.
And no prizes for guessing which is the world’s largest producer of freshwater fish: China.
Prof C. Mohanakumaran Nair, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Kerala University of Fisheries & Ocean Studies, told PTI that in 2012, China had produced 570 lakh tonnes of fish and marine algae, which was 63 per cent of its total aquaculture production, he said.
Excluding marine algae, China’s production of food fish was 411.08 lakh tonnes, while India’s was 42.09 lakh tonnes, just around ten per cent, Prof Nair said.
He pointed out that Indian aquaculture was limited to less than ten species of fish, while China cultures over a 100 species on a commercial scale.
Describing India as a “sleeping giant” because of its untapped fish production potential, the scientist said, ”India’s fish production has been showing a marginal increase every year. From 41.57 lakh tonnes in 1991-92 it has increased to 90.40 lakh tonnes in 2012-13