According to the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), India’s marine fisheries produced 1.32 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) to produce one kilogram of fish in 2016, lower than the global average of 2 tonnes.
Key points
- This estimate covers emissions during the entire chain of operations of marine fisheries — from the construction of boats to retail.
- Active fishing consumes more than 90 per cent of the fuel used in the sector, contributing 4,934 million kilograms of CO2 emissions annually.
- The carbon footprint from Indian marine fisheries is smaller because they depend largely on human force.
- Large mechanised fishing boats were introduced in India in the late 1950s, but the fleet size is growing.
- Their number increased to 72,559 in 2010 from 6,708 in 1961. In 2010, these boats with inboard engines released 1.18 tonnes CO2 per kilogram of fish caught.
