In all the developing countries, the vast natural resource have great potentials for the production of fish. Natural water resource are categorized on the basis of altitude, temperature and salinity. The different fish species have adopted as per water ecosystem. Out of identified about 22000 fish species, only 10% belongs to freshwater. Only 107 species have been found suitable as culturable. Hence, major chunk of fish are not cultured by man but used by him as food or other uses. It is therefore, the natural fisheries is very important for human being and proper management and legislation are needed to have the sustainable production. The text of the book is written in simple language so as understandable by scientists, extension workers, students and farmers. References and literature for further reading have been given in the end. Note: T&F does not sell or distribute the Hardback in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

India has abundant water resources including rivers, canals, ponds, lakes, reservoirs, upland lakes, and floodplain wetlands covering over 5. [Author]8 percent of the country. [Author] These environments harbour a rich fish fauna of 1 035 species that constitutes the basis for the inland fisheries sector, which annually produces 2 144 452 tonnes of fish – if enhanced and culture-based fisheries are included – corresponding to 21 percent of total fish production. [Author] Rivers like the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Barak, alongside floodplain wetlands, play crucial roles, especially in the east and northeast. [Author] Lakes are abundant in upland areas. [Author] Reservoirs cover over 1 percent of India's land and hold untapped potential for fisheries development. [Author] Traditionally, fishing in inland water bodies has been a small-scale or subsistence activity. [Author] Fishing practices, crafts and gear used in inland fisheries are still traditional. [Author] Cooperative societies are present in reservoirs and wetlands giving fishers better bargaining power with traders and better prices for the fish. [Author] Inland fisheries are imperative for poverty alleviation, food security, gender empowerment, cultural services, ecosystem function, and biodiversity, and are important for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. [Author] Important threats to inland fisheries include water scarcity, habitat loss, pollution, climate change and invasive species. [Author] However, several major river conservation programmes have been initiated. [Author] The collection of inland fishery catch statistics remains weak and production appears to be significantly under-reported in many states. [Author] A simplified method for defining water bodies and estimating catch is proposed and all States have been advised to follow the same definition for water bodies. [Author]

The weak property rights regime governing the world's marine resources as well as the wide-spread large scale subsidization of the fisheries industry has led to serious depletion of global fish stocks. Against this backdrop, taking cognizance of developing country goals and concerns, the Fourth Ministerial Conference of the WTO held in Doha in 2001 mandated that negotiations over fisheries subsidies, formerly subject to the disciplines of the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, be completed by 2005. In view of this development, a country like India with its vast and versatile fisheries resources has to take stock of the state of its fisheries sector, and develop a strategic response to the global debate on fisheries subsidies. This book aims to initiate that process. It begins by providing an overview of the current state of subsidization of the fisheries sector, both domestic and international, under various alternate definitions of fisheries subsidies. It then focuses on the domestic scenario, highlighting the Indian experience with fisheries subsidies and property rights regimes across both inland and marine sectors via the case method, and investigates the necessity and sufficiency of subsidies vis-à-vis an appropriate property rights framework in developing the domestic fisheries sector and resource base in a sustainable manner. Attention is then turned to the international scenario, with a review of selected international case studies which can inform domestic subsidy and property rights issues. This is followed by an analysis of the country submissions of the various major fishing nations in order to identify India's natural allies and competitors in international negotiations. The concluding chapter brings the pieces together. It first outlines a program of reforms to rectify the deficiencies in the existing domestic property rights and fisheries subsidy regimes, on the basis of intensive interactions with all sectoral stakeholders. Subsequently, it suggests negotiating strategies for India in forthcoming WTO meetings. An epilogue sums up recent developments and issues.