Chilika mud crab fishery set to enter global sustainability certification process

Kolkata: A joint initiative by the ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI) in Barrackpore (Bengal), Chilika Development Authority (CDA) and Sustainable Seafood Network of India (SSNI) was launched on Wednesday to enter into global sustainability certification process for Chilika Lake’s mud crab fishery, a vital economic and ecologically important resource. Fishery scientists, policy makers, industry stakeholders and community leaders joined together with the aim to achieve globally recognised sustainability certification of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and thereby elevating the market value of this fishery in exports, while protecting stocks, the wider ecosystem and local livelihoods depending on the resource.

The Chilika mud crab is India’s first inland fishery to be earmarked for the MSC’s sustainability programme. The MSC is an international fisheries sustainability and ecolabelling programme that recognises and rewards sustainable fishing practices. The certification process for a dozen of marine fish species from the country is in the final stage.

A stakeholder workshop held at ICAR-CIFRI on Wednesday identified the areas of collaboration, prerequisites and research focus for this landmark achievement. Experts highlighted that this move would help safeguard the rich biodiversity and the livelihoods dependent on Chilika Lake, India’s largest coastal lagoon and a UNESCO-recognised biodiversity hotspot. They stressed the urgent need for a collaborative effort to tackle significant threats facing inland and marine ecosystems in the region, particularly overfishing and pollution. Basanta Kumar Das, Director of CIFRI, said: “Sustainable fisheries management is crucial for preserving the ecological balance of Chilka Lake and ensuring the livelihoods of communities dependent on it. Climate change, declining fish diversity and catch, destructive fishing, pollution and habitat destruction are some of the threats faced by the inland fisheries sector. Through collaborative efforts and scientific innovation, we aim to advance responsible practices that protect aquatic biodiversity while promoting economic resilience.” MSC’s sustainability certification would ensure both ecological and economic benefits, said Sunil Mohamed, former Principal Scientist at ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute and Chair of SSNI. “Global certification will help achieve better market access and premium prices for the resource in the export trades. Achieving the ecolabeling tag would make Chilka Lake fishery competitive in global fisheries trade. Currently India’s share of global fisheries exports is 4 per cent and it is growing,” he added.

The meeting identified a road map for the certification process and proposed strategies for enhancing community involvement and the implementation of this joint endeavour.

The stakeholders decided to prepare a roadmap for prioritised species from the inland fisheries for the MSC certification.