The marine resources research institute monitored around 2.5 lakh fishing trips, offering an in-depth view into nationwide effort and productivity.Mechanised fishing vessels reported an average catch of 2,959 kg per trip, while motorised crafts used by traditional fishermen managed 174 kg per trip. Non-motorised vessels recorded a modest 41 kg per trip.The CMFRI report pointed out that cyclonic storms such as Dana, Fengal, Remal, and Asna significantly impacted fishing activities, contributing to the overall decline. Increased heatwave days in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala further disrupted fishing operations. Kerala recorded a marginal decrease of 4% in the marine fish catch in 2024 compared to the previous year. The total fish landing in the state was 6.10 lakh tonnes. Indian oil sardine topped the list of most caught species in the state with 1.49 lakh tonnes, registering a slight increase of 7.6%. Indian mackerel (61,490 tonnes), penaeid shrimp (44,630 tonnes), anchovies (44,440 t) and threadfin breams (33,890 tonnes) were the other major contributors to Kerala’s total marine catch. Indian mackerel saw a decline of 16% in landings. The year witnessed very low landing and higher landing of oil sardine in different quarters. The year saw an unusual fluctuation in oil sardine landings in Kerala. A severe scarcity in the first quarter led to prices escalating to Rs. 350-400 per kg. However, from September onwards, as landings surged exceeding one lakh tonne in the last quarter, prices dropped sharply to Rs. 20-30 per kg. Compared to 2023, souther districts of the state (Thiruvananthapuram to Ernakulam) recorded a decline, while northern districts (Malappuram to Kasaragod) registered an increase in the landings. The Fishery Resources Assessment, Economics and Extension Division of the CMFRI estimated the annual marine fish landings of the country through its online data collection system.
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