World Fisheries Day

WFD or World Fisheries Day is observed around the world on 21st November every year by the fisherfolk communities. They celebrate this day through workshops, rallies, public meetings, dramas, cultural programs, exhibitions, demonstrations, and music shows to highlight the significance of maintaining the world’s fisheries and balance in the ecosystem, healthy oceans, and surroundings.

This marks a significant event for the fishing community, highlighting their hard work and observing these neglected communities.

This article will discuss World Fisheries Day in the context of the IAS Exam.

The candidates can go through the relevant topics useful for their upcoming exams from the links provided below:

History of Fisheries Day

• The World Fisheries Association convention was settled around 1997. It was famed for the World Fisheries Forum (WFF).
• In the process of this forum, many participants worldwide participated in it actively.
• As a result, approximately 18 countries signed a global consensus document, signifying the standardisation of practices.
• Additionally, this led to the undertaking of sustainable measures for higher developmental methods and policy guidelines to make the fishing manner possible for commerce and trade.

A few usual grounds of operations include–

• Social responsibility and moral bases of justice
• Upholding fisheries as a trade
• Creating robust opportunities for fishing communities
• Protecting the ancient history of the consolidation of fishers, harvesting communities, etc.

The fisher community celebrated the first World Fisheries Day in India on 21st November 2015. The grand opening of the International Fisherman’s organisation took place on the same day in New Delhi. The memories of WFF placed a mark in the pages of history, since it created a new formation of the working procedure of the fisher community.

Significance of Fisheries Day

• It is well-known that fish and other seafood constitute classic food items for many worldwide. This particularly concerns the people residing on the shores and closer to the sea, who have fish and other seafood items as their staple diet. Fisheries Day marks future milestones and goals of the commerce. It includes many combined units with the fisheries under one roof, besides the fishing department.
• However, unfortunately, the fisheries industry faces many issues, including pollution and oil spills in oceans and seas, an overgrowth of blue-green algae in marine bodies, toxic chemicals and plastic encroachments in seawater.
• World Fisheries Day is crucial for trade these days because this industry lacks standard guidelines in matters of investment. Furthermore, the temperature of international water bodies will rise as a result of global warming and disrupt marine life. Efficient management of underlying factors can balance conditions that will help this fishing industry thrive sustainably.

Theme of World Fisheries Day, 2023

The theme for World Fisheries Day 2023 is ‘Celebrate the Fisheries and Aquaculture Wealth’. On this occasion, the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, GOI is organizing the Global Fisheries Conference India 2023 on 21 and 22 November 2023 at Gujarat Science City in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The government aims to celebrate the contribution and achievements of fish farmers and other stakeholders and reinforce its commitment towards sustainable and equitable development of the fisheries sector.

 Celebrations around World Fisheries Day

• Fisher communities observe this day with a hope for a better future for their industry. These communities bring to light one of the most underrated professions through well-organised car marches and bike rallies. The fishing industry constitutes a great trade and commerce segment with many underlying departments, which necessarily calls for an efficient working blend among them.
• These functioning processes require proper management, training, and expertise for smooth flow and proper handling of varying internal systems.
• On a lighter note, these fisherfolk groups have their own distinguished and unique cultural undertakings within their community. This includes song and dance performances besides drama programmes. Government arranges special exhibitions for the well-being of the fishing industry’s traders. Demonstration-led events and music shows also form essential functions of World Fisheries Day.

Important Pointers on World Fisheries Day

• Sixty-five per cent of the reported catch from inland fisheries is from low-income food-deficit countries.
• Human population consumes above 100 million tons of fish annually.
• Small-scale fisheries apply to around 90 per cent of those involved in fisheries.
• Around 30 million to 60 million people worldwide are a part of inland fisheries. 50 per cent of this population constitute women.
• Fish supply more than 25% of this world’s dietary protein.

The above details on World Fisheries Day will hopefully help individuals preparing for competitive exams develop comprehensive knowledge on the same. Aspirants can further resort to expert guidance to ace their preparation.

There are other Important days and dates of national and international importance, integral from the UPSC prelims and other government exams.

Furthermore, candidates can learn more about the detailed UPSC Syllabus and exam pattern for the preliminary and mains phase of the examination at the linked article. Analysing the syllabus will help candidates accordingly schedule a study plan.

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