COVID-19 is now a major global health crisis, can lead to severe food crisis unless proper measures are taken. Though a number of scientific studies have addressed the possible impacts of COVID-19 in Bangladesh on variety of issues, problems and food crises associated with aquatic resources and communities are missing.

1. Presented By-
Virendra Kumar
M.F.Sc. (FRM)
RPCAU, Pusa, Bihar

2. INTRODUCTION
 The outbreak of COVID-19 and the sudden India-wide lockdown, has
severely affected India’s fisheries sectors.
 Fishers, hatchery owners, fish processors, sea-food exporters,
traders, fish vendors, vehicles carrying fish – all involved in fisheries
and allied activities have been badly impacted.
 Some deceptive perceptions about fish and fishery products in some
countries have led to-
1-Decreased consumption,
2-A drop in demand,
3-Resulting price drops of fish.
4-Decreased production

3. COVID -19
Full form- Coronavirus disease-19
First case reported in the world- Wuhan City, China,
in December 2019
Disease caused by- Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (Sars-cov-2)
First case reported in India- Kerala, January 27,
2020
Confirmed cases in World- 332,617,707
Total deaths- 5,551,314
(According to WHO, 19 January 2022)

4. World Fisheries & Aquaculture(2020):
Overview
Capture(million Tonnes)
Aquaculture(million Tonnes)

5. Capture fisheries
boat building yard
Net manufacturing units
Gear accessories manufacturing units
Ice factories
Navigation & communication equipment
Repairing workshops(craft & gear)
Marketing
Wholesaler, middleman, retailer,
vendor
Transportation
Marketing places
Import-export chain(buyers
representation)
Aquaculture sector
Pond construction contractors
Hatcheries
Feed manufacturing unit
Input industry(water treatment, chemical,
medicine, probiotics)
Cage manufacturing unit
Equipment(pumps, aerators, feeders etc.)
Sea food processing unit
Pre- processing sheds
Ice plants & cold storage
Fish processing plants
Fish meal & oil plants
Sun drying, curing and smoking industry
Fisheries
Sector

6. COVID-19 and aquatic food system in
India
• The world is facing a crisis and WHO officially has declared the
corona virus a global pandemic.
• India is also combating the crisis and experiencing its terrible
effect (Bhuiyan, 2020).
• In addition to affecting the public health sector, COVID-19 has
covered the country’s economy, business activities, transportation,
food supply, food security and more.
• The lockdown situation has made the food supply worse
respectively.
• Supply of fish and fisheries resources (aquatic food) that play an
important role in the diet and nutrition of the people of India is
also become disrupted.

7. Is It Still Safe To Eat Fishery And
Aquaculture Products?
 Fish and fish products are a key component to a healthy diet
and are safe to eat.
 Misleading perceptions in some countries have led to
decreased consumption of these products.
 Yet, coronavirus cannot infect aquatic animals (finfish,
reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates such as crustaceans
and molluscs)
 These animals do not play an epidemiological role in
spreading COVID-19 to humans.
 Fish diet helps in to increase immunity.

9. Impact Of Covid-19 During Lockdown
 Reduction in domestic and global demand of fish and fishery products.
 Domestic & international transportations of fish, fish seed and fish feed.
 Break of Supply chain of fish, fish seed and fish feed.
 Labour shortage/ labour migration
 Delay in fish harvesting
 Insufficient supply for the processing of fish in the plants.
 Economic impact of pandemics on food, fisheries & aquaculture sectors.
 Lockdown in the landing centres and harbours has severely affected the
fisher folks in all nine coastal states and four coastal union territories of the
country.

10. Impacts of the Covid-19 Pandemic

14. Impact of COVID-19 on small-scale fishers
COVID-19
caused
Problems on
SSF
Low
income
Unemplo-
yement
situation
Rising
commodity
price
Pressure
from
creditors
Food
security
Unsold fish
Debt cycle
Insufficient
gear
supply
Weak
value
chain

15. POSITIVE
IMPACT OF
COVID 19
During
lockdown
Improvement
of fish stocks
in all water
bodies.
Increases of
aquatic plants,
mangrove
forests, & coral
reefs ground.
Improvement of
water quality in
all aquatic
resources.
Reduction in
greenhouse gas
emissions and
air pollution due
to covid 19
lockdown.
Reduction in
pollution level
in coastal areas,
rivers, lakes,
others water
bodies and also
in cities.

16. COVID-19 impact mitigation measures
that organizations are currently
undertaking, or planning to undertake
 Frequent practice of washing hands, regular cleaning and sanitization of
farm machineries, implements and surrounding areas.
 Cessation of in-person meetings.
 Home delivery.
 Following local government advice for working remotely.
 Rescheduling of meetings and events for when the current COVID-19
situation has passed.
 Engage more inter-sessional decision-making and work for issues which
may be resolved by email.
 Testing the suitability of web conferencing platforms that allow
simultaneous translation.

17. Mitigation
Measures
Testing the
suitability of
web
conferencing
platforms
Strengthening
of fisheries &
aquaculture
infrastructure
Downloading
Aarogya Setu
mobile app
Proper
awareness
during farming
Promotion of
fish vending
door to door
Following local
government
advice for
working
remotely.
MSP (Minimum
Support Price)
for fish and
fishery
products
Rescheduling
of meetings
and events

18. Conclusion
 The spread of COVID-19 has resulted in public health concern, economic
and food crisis.
 During the pandemic lockdown, the food sector is hardly impacted and
most affected vulnerable group such as the poor and in isolated ruler area.
 The economics of agriculture and aquaculture for the last quarter of the
year 2020 has shown a significant decline, which affected the livelihood for
millions of people worldwide.
 As this pandemic started from a food market, it is envisaged that the
governance and policy for food processing and manufacturing could be
revised.
 If new ways of collaboration and actions between government, industries
and individual are not taken, the world is even less prepared in the future
for the next pandemic, which will delay vaccine development and pandemic
mitigation.

19. Fish For Food Keep Distance(min. 6 Feet) Fish For Nutrition