Governance of small-scale fisheries in India: A Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-scale Fisheries (VGSSF) based policy assessment

Abstract

Small-scale fisheries (SSF) underpin India’s marine and inland fisheries, yet their governance is shaped by a fragmented set of laws, policies, and implementation schemes. This study evaluated ten national fisheries instruments against five governance dimensions derived from the FAO voluntary guidelines for securing sustainable small-scale fisheries (VGSSF): tenure and access rights, institutional mechanisms, welfare and social development, participatory decision-making, and disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation. Instruments were assessed for their governance orientation rather than legal enforceability, with policy documents examined for normative intent and schemes analysed for how governance priorities are translated into programmatic design. The results revealed clear thematic imbalances. Welfare and social development received the strongest emphasis (WM = 3.83; SD = 0.67), reflecting a governance approach centred on programmatic support and service delivery. In contrast, tenure and access rights (WM = 3.33; SD = 1.05), institutional mechanisms (WM = 3.50; SD = 0.32), participatory decision-making (WM = 3.17; SD = 0.57), and disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation (WM = 3.00; SD = 0.79) were integrated unevenly and often without binding provisions. Chi-square analysis confirmed that these disparities are statistically significant and structural rather than incidental (p < 0.05). Overall, India’s fisheries governance framework remains predominantly welfare-oriented, while key VGSSF principles related to rights, participation, and climate resilience remain weakly institutionalized. Strengthening alignment with the VGSSF will require complementary legal and institutional measures that embed tenure security, meaningful participation, and climate-responsive governance alongside existing welfare support.