Question : National Fisheries Policy (2020)

(a) whether the Government has considered introducing the National Marine Fisheries Policy (2017), a draft National Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy (NFP 2019) and a draft National Mariculture Policy (2019);
(b) whether the draft National Fisheries Policy (2020) will replace the existing policies, if not, the status of the draft policies introduced in 2019 if the draft NFP, 2020 is implemented;
(c) the details of the use of ‘mitigation measures‘ in case of aquaculture, that is known for causing an immense amount of pollution; and
(d) whether the Government plans to provide traditional fish workers with financial assistance by considering the fact that such workers were left out of the Rs. 1.7 lakh crore relief package under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, and if not, the reasons thereof?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING:
(SHRI PRATAP CHANDRA SARANGI)
(a) & (b) Government has decided for introducing a comprehensive and integrated ‘National Fisheries Policy, 2020’ by integrating the National Policy on Marine Fisheries, 2017 (NPMF), the Draft National Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy (NIFAP) and the Draft National Mariculture Policy (NMP) along with the elements of Post Harvest.
(c) The Guidelines for regulating Coastal Aquaculture appended to the Coastal Aquaculture Authority Rules, 2005 under the Coastal Aquaculture Authority Act, 2005 provides various measures, which inter alia include environment impact assessment, environment monitoring and management plan, waste water management and integrated coastal zone management in order to address the environmental issues and to ensure environmentally responsible and socially accepted aquaculture in coastal areas.
(d) Government of India has announced a new dedicated scheme for fisheries sector namely Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) under Atmanirbhar Bharat COVID-19 Relief Package. The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) under its various components provide financial assistance for traditional fishers including fish workers for various enlisted activities in the scheme including livelihood and nutritional support for socio-economically backward active traditional fishers’ families during fishing ban/lean period for conservation of fisheries resources.
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