Kochi, Aug 5 (UNI) Kerala recorded a marginal decrease of 4% in its marine fish catch in 2024 compared to the previous year, with total landings amounting to 6.10 lakh tonnes.
Indian oil sardine topped the list of the most caught species in the state, with 1.49 lakh tonnes landed — a slight increase of 7.6%.
Other major contributors included Indian mackerel (61,490 tonnes), penaeid shrimp (44,630 tonnes), anchovies (44,440 tonnes), and threadfin breams (33,890 tonnes). Indian mackerel saw a notable decline of 16% in landings.
The year witnessed significant fluctuations in oil sardine landings. A severe scarcity in the first quarter led to prices rising sharply to ₹350–400 per kg. However, from September onwards, landings surged—exceeding one lakh tonnes in the last quarter—causing prices to plummet to ₹20–30 per kg.
Compared to 2023, the southern districts of the state (from Thiruvananthapuram to Ernakulam) saw a decline in landings, while the northern districts (from Malappuram to Kasaragod) recorded an increase.
India’s total marine fish landings stood at 3.47 million tonnes in 2024, reflecting a slight decline of 2% compared to 2023, according to the ICAR–Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI).
Gujarat retained its top position in overall fish landings with 7.54 lakh tonnes, followed by Tamil Nadu with 6.79 lakh tonnes and Kerala with 6.10 lakh tonnes.
CMFRI’s annual estimates showed that Indian mackerel remained the most landed marine resource in the country, with 2.63 lakh tonnes, followed by oil sardine at 2.41 lakh tonnes.
Across India, species such as Indian mackerel, threadfin breams, oil sardine, ribbonfishes, non-penaeid shrimps, and cephalopods recorded a decline in 2024 compared to the previous year. In contrast, landings of lesser sardines, penaeid shrimps, anchovies, and tunnies increased.
The west coast region experienced an overall decrease in landings, while the east coast showed an increasing trend, except in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Maharashtra registered the highest growth in landings with a 47% increase over the previous year.
West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha also recorded notable increases of 35%, 20%, and 18% respectively. In contrast, states such as Karnataka, Goa, and Daman & Diu experienced significant declines in landings.
A total of about 2.5 lakh fishing trips were monitored, providing detailed insights into nationwide fishing effort and productivity.
Mechanised crafts reported an average catch of 2,959 kg per trip, while motorised crafts managed 174 kg per trip, and non-motorised vessels recorded a modest 41 kg per trip.
The CMFRI report noted 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.
The Fishery Resources Assessment, Economics and Extension Division of CMFRI estimated the annual marine fish landings through its online data collection system.
