Inland Fisheries

2.1.6 Estuarine fisheries resources

          National Commission on Agriculture stated that “under the term estuarine fisheries is included the fishery output from the mouth of rivers, the large brackish water lakes, the innumerable creeks and backwaters along the coast and the coastal canal system”. The fisheries in estuaries of India are above the subsistence level and contribute significantly to the production. The major estuarine systems noted by the National Commission on Agriculture are (1) Hooghly-Maltah, (2) Mahanadi, (3) Godavari (4), Chilka (5) Pulicat and (6) Vembanad. Of these six estuarine systems, Chilka lake, Pulicat lake and Vembanad lakes are considered as the brackish water lakes.

          Among the estuaries, the Hoogly Matlah estuarine system is the largest in terms of area, followed by Chilka, Pulicat and Mahanadi estuaries. Mangroves, though apparently the largest in terms of total area reported, are subject to maximum encroachment and destruction, in the wake of other developments in the coastal zones of the country.