Date: May 28, 2026
Source: BusinessLine (Chennai)
Content:
KOCHI, May 28: The annual Indian mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) landings along India's west coast have dropped by an estimated 18 percent compared to the same period last year, according to preliminary data released by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) on Tuesday. The decline, attributed to unseasonal warming of surface waters in the Arabian Sea, is already being felt in export markets across Southeast Asia.
Indian mackerel, one of the country's most commercially important pelagic species, accounts for nearly 7 percent of total marine fish landings. The fish is a staple in domestic markets and a key export commodity, with major buyers including Malaysia, Thailand, and the Middle East.
"We are observing a delay in the usual shoaling patterns," said Dr. K. Vijayakumaran, a senior scientist at CMFRI's Kochi centre. "The sea surface temperature in the southern Arabian Sea has been 1.2 to 1.5 degrees Celsius above normal during April and May. This appears to be pushing the fish into deeper, cooler waters earlier than usual, making them less accessible to traditional ring-seine and gillnet operations."
The shortfall has triggered a 22 percent rise in wholesale prices at major landing centres, including Mangaluru and Kochi, where Indian mackerel now fetches ₹180–220 per kilogram, compared to ₹140–160 a year ago. Exporters warn that sustained price increases could make Indian shipments less competitive against substitutes from Oman and Yemen, where catches have remained relatively stable.
The Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI) has urged the government to expedite the rollout of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana sub-scheme focused on climate-resilient fishing infrastructure. In the interim, some processing plants in Kerala have begun sourcing mackerel from the country's east coast, where landings in Visakhapatnam and Chennai have held steady.
Marine biologists caution that the long-term outlook depends on whether the warming trend proves to be a seasonal anomaly or part of a broader climate shift. A 2025 study in the Indian Journal of Fisheries had already flagged the Indian mackerel as a "climate-sensitive stock," predicting a gradual northward shift in its distribution.
Local fishing communities remain hopeful that the monsoon, now arriving over Kerala, will help cool coastal waters and restore normal fishing conditions by late June.
