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The webinar, “Coastal Communities, Fisheries, and Sustainability in India” is organised by the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR), in collaboration with The Asia Foundation (TAF), as part of the Indian Coastal Think Tank Network (ICTN) project.

INTRODUCTION

Coastal Communities, Fisheries, and Sustainability in India

The fisheries sector is a vital pillar of India’s economy. It contributes significantly to national income, ensures food and nutritional security, supports exports, and drives employment generation—especially among marginalised and vulnerable communities. Recognised as a “Sunrise Sector”, it supports the livelihoods of nearly 30 million people.

In 2022–23, India recorded its highest-ever fish production at 175.45 lakh tonnes, becoming the third-largest fish producer globally. The sector contributes 8% to global fish output, 1.09% to India’s Gross Value Added (GVA), and over 6.72% to agricultural GVA (Year End Review 2023, Department of Fisheries). Despite its progress, much of the sector’s potential remains untapped—calling for focused policy attention, sustainable practices, and inclusive strategies for long-term, equitable growth.

Key Challenges

India’s fisheries face multiple challenges that threaten sustainability and livelihoods:

• Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing undermines resource management

• Outdated infrastructure and limited access to modern technology hinder efficiency

• Post-harvest losses remain high due to inadequate cold storage and transport systems

• Environmental pressures—rising sea temperatures, habitat degradation—impact marine ecosystems

• Small-scale fishers often lack access to credit, insurance, and social protection

• Inefficient value chains and market access limit profitability and long-term viability

Rethinking Fisheries Governance

Fisheries governance includes the legal, social, economic, and political frameworks that manage resources at national and local levels. It goes beyond regulation to include community-based practices, fishers’ associations, and co-management models. Successful governance requires:

• Strong institutions and policies

• Effective monitoring, enforcement, and evaluation

• Alignment between local management plans and national goals

About the Webinar

This webinar on “Coastal Communities, Fisheries, and Sustainability in India” will explore these intersecting themes—bringing together diverse voices, expert insights, and field perspectives to reflect on the future of India’s coasts and the communities that depend on them.

This webinar is organised as part of CPPR’s project, “Indian Coastal Think Tank Network: Addressing Traditional and Non-traditional Challenges in the Indian Coastal Region from Regional and National Perspectives”.

KEY DISCUSSION POINTS

• To examine the current state of India’s coastal fisheries and associated ecosystems.
• To assess the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation on India’s coastal fisheries and ecosystems.
• To explore sustainable fisheries management practices and innovations.
• To highlight policy frameworks, governance models, and community-led solutions.
• To foster dialogue across disciplines and sectors for collaborative action.

SPEAKERS

Shri D V Swamy, IAS

Chairman, MPEDA

Mr D V Swamy belongs to the 2001 batch of the Indian Administrative Service. He joined as the Chairman of the Marine Products Export Development Authority of India (MPEDA) in August 2022. He is a Postgraduate in Political Science and holds a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) from Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Mr Swamy has served in various capacities under the State Government of Odisha, India. He was District Collector in three districts of Odisha and served as the State Mission Director for the National Rural Livelihood Missions in both Karnataka and Odisha. He also functioned as the Revenue Divisional Commissioner in Sambalpur district, Odisha.

Mr Swamy held additional charge as Vice Chancellor, Education Department, Higher and Technical Education, in Rourkela, Odisha. He also served as the Development Commissioner of the Cochin Special Economic Zone.

After joining MPEDA on 17.08.2022 as Chairman, Mr Swamy held additional charges as Development Commissioner of both the Cochin Special Economic Zone and the Visakhapatnam Special Economic Zone. He also held the additional charge as Chairman of the Tobacco Board.

Currently, he holds the additional charge of Chairperson of the Coastal Aquaculture Authority, effective from 03.02.2025.

Dr E Vivekanandan

Senior Scientific Consultant, BOBP-IGO

Dr E. Vivekanandan is a distinguished fishery biologist with over four decades of professional experience. A member of the Agricultural Research Service of India, he served in various capacities at the ICAR–Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI).

He has pioneered research in key areas of marine fisheries, including fish stock assessment, coastal fisheries management, climate change impacts and adaptation, and marine mammal research. Over the years, he has successfully coordinated and completed numerous national and international projects in these specialised domains.

Following his superannuation, Dr Vivekanandan has continued to work uninterruptedly on several assignments for national and global organisations. He is currently serving as Senior Scientific Consultant to the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO) and is closely associated with the Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem Project.

He has travelled extensively and has made significant academic contributions, having published 105 research papers in peer-reviewed journals, authored 2 books on Stock Assessment and Marine Mammals, contributed 20 book chapters, and produced a number of technical reports.

MODERATOR

Dr Dhritishree Bordalai

Senior Research Associate, International Relations

Dr Dhritishree Bordalai is a Senior Research Associate (International Relations) at the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR), Kochi, India. She holds a PhD from the Centre for European Studies (CES), School of International Studies (SIS), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. She completed her MPhil in European Studies from SIS, JNU, and earned her Master’s in Politics with Specialisation in International Relations from the same school. She graduated from St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi, with History as her key discipline. Additionally, she holds a Certificate in Public Policy and Management from the Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode (IIM-K).

She has interned at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in New Delhi and previously worked as a Mahatma Gandhi National Fellow under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India.

Dr Bordalai was awarded the UGC-DAAD Short-Term Scholarship during her PhD at the Otto-Suhr-Institut für Politikwissenschaft (OSI), Freie Universität Berlin, Germany. She has attended several national and international conferences in her area of research and presented a paper at the Young Researchers Conference in JNU.

Her core areas of research include migration, security, and refugee studies.

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