Coastal Aquaculture and Mariculture

Unit 3 - Indian Ocean capture fisheries

3.5. Tuna Potential in Indian Ocean
The resource potential of different speices groups of tuna in the Indian Ocean are estimated to be, yellowfin 1,00,000-1,50,000 t, big-eye 30,000 - 60,000 t, skipjack 2,00,000 - 300000 t and bill fishes 10,000 t.

Tuna fishing is carried out entirely by non-Indian Ocean counties specifically Japan, Republic of China and Republic of Taiwan. Use of long lines by these countries has substantially reduced the stock of these species. In some cases, the fishery is already over-capitalized in terms of number of boats. The Indian Ocean fishery is almost per-occupied by the governments with shrimp and tuna fisheries due to their ability to earn foreign currency. Since the shrimp resources are largely in territorial waters, the shrimp fisheries are carried out domestically or by joint ventures with Finns from non Indian Ocean countries.

Lack of infrastructure, capital, technology, managerial skills, institutional barriers, communications and cultural characteristics in varying degree depending upon the locality are the standard inhibitors of Indian Ocean fishery developments. Some of the needs may sometimes be met by joint venture operations in which the Indian Ocean country could supply proximity to the resource and access to labor supplies, while a technologically developed country outside the Indian Ocean could supply the capital, technology and managerial skills.