ENFORCEMENT OF FISHERIES LAWS IN INDIA

India has a long history of fisheries exploitation and management, with early efforts to regulate fishing practices dating back to the late 19th century. This review examines the evolution of fisheries laws and regulations in India, focusing on critical policies, acts, and amendments over the past century. The Indian Fisheries Act of 1897 marked the first national legislation aimed at conserving inland fisheries through restrictions on gear, mesh sizes, closed seasons, and protected waters. In the following decades, individual states enacted more specific rules tailored to local contexts. The FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, adopted in 1995, supplied a framework for more sustainable fisheries worldwide. In India, however, poor enforcement and monitoring hindered its effectiveness. The 2021 Marine Fisheries Bill seeks to close gaps in high-seas governance and prioritize small-scale, traditional fishers. Despite these policy efforts, India's fisheries stay imperiled by continued overexploitation, habitat degradation, weak regulation, and climate change impacts. Improving outcomes will require stronger political will, co-management systems, and initiative-taking adaptation under uncertainty. This review synthesizes research on the strengths and limitations of India's fisheries policy, lessons learned, and recommendations for reform. It highlights the complex social-ecological dynamics in Indian fisheries and the critical need to balance food security, fair livelihoods, and ecological sustainability in an era of global environmental change.