Fish scenario in India with emphasis on Indian major carps

Abstract

India is the second largest producer of fish next to China and Indonesia ranks third in aquaculture production.1 In India, this sector constitutes about 5% of the global fish production and 3% of the global fish trade. In the world, capture fisheries and aquaculture supplied about 158 million tons of fish in 2012, of which about 136.2 million tons was utilized as food. World per capita food fish supply increased from an average of 9.9 kg (live weight equivalent) in the 1960s to 18.7 kg in 2011 and preliminary estimates for 2012 point to a further increase in fish consumption to 19.2 kg. The per capita availability of fish in India has increased from 3 kg to 9.1 In India, the major carps, Catla (Catla catla), Rohu (Labeo rohita) and Mrigal (Cirrhinus mrigala) are the mainstay of freshwater aquaculture. The major carps are the most preferred farm fishes because of their fast growth and higher acceptability to consumers.2 Indian major carps are the most cultivable fish species in India contributing about 87% of the total freshwater aquaculture production of the country.3