India is endowed with a wide diversity of water resources, which sustains a large fisheries sector in the country. India contributes nearly five percent towards global fish production. The Indian fisheries sector has registered an average annual growth rate of around four percent during the last five years. The study is based largely on background papers developed from analyses of marine fisheries in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat and Orissa. These states were identified by Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries (DAHDF) in consultation with the state fisheries departments, ensuring that the study covered both east and west coasts. The field work, consisting of focus group discussions, key person and household-level interviews, was conducted in major coastal ports, rural landing centers and fishing villages.