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"Technology Assessment and Refinement through the Institution Village Linkage Programme (IVLP) is the latest participatory extension model successfully undertaken by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research in India. The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute has been implementing IVLP since 2001 to assess and refine the technologies of the coastal agro ecosystems at Elamkunnapuzha village (Vypeen Island) in the Ernakulam District of Kerala. A series of need based location specific technology intervention plans have been introduced to overcome the social and biological constraints on farming practices in fisheries, livestock and agriculture, and implemented with the active participation of the stakeholders. The inferences drawn from IVLP ultimately form a package suitable for enhanced production in the costal agro ecosystem for replication to other areas with similar characteristics. This paper gives a brief account of the treatment packages applied in fisheries through various technological interventions and discusses the consequent yield and benefits obtained. The integrated whole village development through the involvement of multi institutional teams and a participatory approach was accorded prime importance in the IVLP of Elamkunnapuzha, with a greater emphasis on marginal and small farmers and specifically focusing on women for poverty alleviation and equity under the coastal agro ecosystem."

The study has assessed the levels of literacy, health, income and livelihood security of the fisherfolk in India by taking a sample of 4555 fisher households selected from six fisheries sectors (marine capture, inland capture, mariculture, fresh water and brackish water aquaculture and marketing and processing) in 19 states of India. The primary data were collected using a pre-tested survey scheduled during January to December, 2011. The age profile of the fisher household revealed the dominance of the young — onethird with less than 35 years of age and more than half in 35 to 55 years age groups. The literacy rate has been found quite high, about 80 per cent on overall basis. The health status of fisher households has been assessed using birth weight of infants, incidence of mortality among mothers/children during birth, administration of vaccines and health care facilities. It has been found that for a better livelihood security, the respondent households have diversified their income sources beyond fisheries, the major ones being labour, agriculture, and business and non-farm activities. The average monthly income across all sectors was about ` 6500, in which about 73 per cent were from fisheries. For economic security, a considerable number (around 40%) of fisher households had savings, the average amount being ` 4200 per fisher household. The study has suggested that microfinance enterprises like self-help groups (SHGs) should be promoted to help the fishers to address their problem of indebtedness. There exists huge potential of imparting training to fishers, particularly the young and womenfolk, on fisheries management and diversified enterprises including services delivery.

The study has been undertaken in Kerala State in India with an overall objective of analyzing the bio-economic conditions of commercially exploited marine fishes for assessing their sustainability in the context of existing management practices. Maximum sustainable yield, maximum economic yield and open access levels of yield and effort were analyzed using Gompertz-Fox growth model. The study concluded that the fishing effort exceeded the economically optimal levels and there is unnecessary wastage of money, manpower and fuel in the fishing industry. The study stressed the urgent need for capture fisheries management in the State which at present follows an open access fishery where regulations exist only in the form of seasonal closure in the monsoon season.

Marine by-products coming under the ancillary products group found many applications in pharmaceutical and industrial sectors. Although many of these products are fetching very high price at the export market, adequate statistics regarding their current production, marketing and utilisation is lacking. The present analysis deals with the production potential, level of exploitation, uses, export growth rate and potential for the future of some of these marine by-products. The analysis revealed that an estimated quantity of 205 t. of shells, 10 t. of gastropod operculum, 4,932 t. of shark liver oil and 4,384 t. of shark cartilage could be produced annually in India with the current landings. The production potential of chitin is estimated as 3,560 t. from shrimp shell wastes and 1,354 t. from crab shell wastes. The high unit value of different products clearly indicates the scope for their development by evolving appropriate utilisation and marketing strategies.

Information on socio-economic framework of the fish farmer community forms a benchmark for policy formulation to develop this economically backward sector. Very few studies have been conducted on the socio-economic aspect of fish farming. Two districts of Assam, Darrang and Nagaon, were selected for this study where 120 respondents from each district were selected randomly. The characteristics representing the personnel and socio-economic attributes of the fish farmers are presented in this paper. The socio-economic status of fish farmers has to be improved by bringing the modern concepts of fish farming to the doorstep of farmers.

"The community tanks and ponds in India are seldom used for fish culture. Fish culture as a community based activity has been shown to be economically viable in some parts of the country. This paper describes the success story of fish farming in a community tank in Assam."

The article highlights briefly the economics of different types of fishing units operating along the Indian coast; analyzes the exploitation trend of major marine fishery resources in relation to its potential yield; and suggests policy measures for optimum exploitation of resources, conservation and management.