World Fisheries Day (21 November) History, Significance, Theme and Observation

World Fisheries Day Quick Facts

World Fisheries Day Brief

Every year on 21st November, 'World Fisheries Day' is celebrated in different countries of the world. This day is celebrated by fishermen's's communities all over the world. It is celebrated to highlight the importance of healthy ocean ecosystems and ensuring sustainable reserves of fisheries in the world.

Doordarshan helps in increasing the knowledge of the whole world by focusing on various major economic and social issues. Presently it has emerged as the foremost force of the media. UNESCO has recognized television as an important means of communication and information.

World Fisheries Day Objective

World Fisheries Day aims to highlight the importance of healthy ocean ecosystems. It also ensures sustainable stocks of fisheries in the world. Fish farming communities celebrate the day by conducting events such as public meetings, rallies, workshops, exhibitions, cultural plays and concerts.

A United Nations report has said that more than Two-thirds of the world's fish have become extinct. It also said that more than a third of the decline is due to conditions, such as loss of essential fish habitats, pollution, and global warming.

More info about World Fisheries Day

Fisheries in India:

Fishing plays an important role in contributing to the food security of the country. It is an important sector which provides employment to lakhs of people. India has over 8,000 km of coastline, an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of over 2 million km and extensive freshwater resources.

Fishing plays an important role in the Indian economy as it contributes about 1.07% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Fisheries Industry and the Covid-19 Pandemic

In a message signed by Cardinal Peter Turkson, chairman of the Pontifical Committee on Integral Human Development, attention was drawn to the serious economic impact of the pandemic this year on millions of fish and the entire fisheries industry. It was said in the message that social distancing has hit not only the fisheries industry but also the hotel and restaurant industry associated with it and has taken away their wages from many workers.

Important Facts about Fishes:

• Every year, $22 billion is spent to subsidize overfishing, which overloads the ocean's resources and threatens food and job security.
• World Fisheries Day helps to highlight the vital importance to human life, of water and the life it sustains both in and out of water. Water forms a continuum, whether it is contained in rivers, lakes and the ocean.
• In the English language, fish is a singular word when used for an instance of any fish species. However, "fish" can refer to several types of fish collectively.
• Fish don't actually drink water. Instead, they filter dissolved oxygen from it. This is why aquariums usually have machines that pump oxygen into the air. If there is no oxygen to filter from the water, the fish will drown in it.
• About half of all the world's fish species live in the salt water of the oceans, also known as the marine environment. Meanwhile, the other half of the world's fish species live in inland freshwater ecosystems.
• Small-scale fisheries (marine and inland) employ about 90 percent of the people involved in fisheries.
• 65% percent of the reported inland fisheries are from low-income food-deficit countries.
• Estimates vary, but about 30 million to more than 60 million people are involved in inland fisheries in developing countries; It is believed that about 50 percent are women.
• More than 25% of the world's dietary protein is provided by fish.
• Human population eats over 100 million tons of fish annually
• Of Africa's 1 billion people, 200 million people regularly consume fish and about half of that comes from inland fisheries.

Important Days of November Month - (National Days and International Days):