The ban on granting fresh licenses to deep sea fishing projects has encouraged poaching by foreign vessels in the Indian economic zone, reveals Tarun Gogoi, Union minister for food processing. The

Europeans started over-exploiting freshwater fish at least 1,000 years ago, according to historical studies that could help manage depleted modern fish stocks worldwide.

Whales teemed in waters off New Zealand in the 19th century and a now almost non-existent cod stock in the Gulf of Maine totalled a huge 70,000 tonnes a year in the mid-19th century, according to historical records.

The EU is considering funding projects in North Africa and along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean in an effort to tackle rising pollution levels. The European Commission and European Investment Bank have been looking at the pollution hotspots which impact on the sea as a whole and are now looking at how money might be used to address the problem. According to the study published by the two organisations, the environmental decline in the Mediterranean threatens the health of all people living along the shore line - almost 150 million of them in all.

The untimely summer rain, which has so far caused an estimated Rs.110-crore loss in damaged crops and claimed 12 lives, is likely to turn out to be a blessing in disguise for fish workers.

Over twenty years ago, Goa enjoyed the peak of its fishing industry.