Fisheries Sector in India, Current Status and Challenges

The fisheries sector in India plays a vital role in food security, employment, and exports, contributing significantly to the Blue Economy and rural livelihoods.

Table of Contents

Context: As the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (2020–2025) completes five years, India’s fisheries sector has become a key pillar of the Blue Economy, achieving record levels of production and exports.

Current Status of the Fisheries Sector in India (2025)

Global Standing: India is the 2nd largest fish producer in the world (~8% of global output).
Contribution to GVA: Fisheries contribute ~24% to India’s GDP and ~7.7% to Agriculture GVA.
Employment: ~3 crore people are directly or indirectly dependent.
Exports: Fisheries exports contribute ~20% to India’s agri-exports.
Types of Fisheries:
- Marine Fisheries – Along the coastline.
- Inland Fisheries – Rivers, reservoirs, ponds; India is the largest inland fish producer globally.
- Aquaculture (Freshwater & Brackish water): India is the largest producer of shrimp and 2nd largest aquaculture producer
Largest Producers (State-wise): Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat, Odisha, Tamil Nadu.
Major Export Destination of Seafood:
1. US
2. EU
China, Japan, Vietnam, and Thailand are also major seafood export destinations of India.

Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMSSY)

PMMSY was launched in September 2020 to make the fisheries sector ecologically healthy, economically viable, and socially inclusive.
Investment Size (2020–25): ₹20,050 crore (the largest ever investment in fisheries).
Objectives:
- Enhance production and productivity.
- Improve value chain efficiency and post-harvest infrastructure.
- Empower women and fish farmers.
- Strengthen exports and global competitiveness.
Achievements in 5 years:
- Fish Production: 195 lakh tonnes in 2024-25 (up from 141.64 lakh tonnes in 2019-20).
- Aquaculture Productivity: Improved from 3 tonne/ha (2019–20) to 4.7 tonne/ha (Feb 2025).
- Employment: 58 lakh jobs created (target of 55 lakh surpassed by Dec 2024).
- Women Empowerment: 99,018 women empowered through sanctioned projects worth ₹4,061.96 crore (2020–21 to 2024–25).
- Exports: Increased from ₹46,662.85 crore (2019–20) to ₹60,524.89 crore (2023–24).

Challenges in the Fisheries Sector

Overfishing and Resource Depletion: Marine stocks are under severe pressure due to unregulated fishing practices. Declining catch per unit effort reduces the profitability of fishers.
Post-Harvest Losses: Around 20% of the total fish catch is lost due to poor cold-chain and storage infrastructure.
Climate Change and Environmental Stress: Rising sea surface temperatures, frequent cyclones, and ocean acidification threaten marine ecosystems. Coastal erosion and saline intrusion disrupt traditional fishing livelihoods.
Fragmented and Informal Sector: The Majority of fishers are small-scale operators with limited access to formal credit, insurance, and social security. Absence of organised markets forces distress sales.
Low Technology Penetration: Modern aquaculture technologies like RAS, IoT-based water quality monitoring, and drones remain confined to pilot projects.
Export and Quality Challenges: Inadequate compliance with international quality standards & Lack of modern processing and packaging facilities reduce export competitiveness.
Institutional and Policy Gaps: Overlapping jurisdictions between the centre and States delay regulatory reforms.

Technology Integration in Fisheries Production

Biofloc Technology (BFT): Uses microbes to recycle nutrients, reduces water usage, and provides natural feed.
- E.g.: Kapil Talwar (Uttarakhand) set up 50 biofloc tanks under PMMSY subsidy, creating jobs and pioneering ornamental aquaculture.
Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems (RAS): Conserves water, increases stocking density, and enables urban aquaculture.
Satellite & GIS in Marine Fisheries: Satellite-based advisories on Potential Fishing Zones (PFZs) reduce fuel use and improve efficiency.
Digital Platforms: NFDP (2024): Single-window system for scheme benefits, credit, insurance, e-trade.
- e-NAM integration for fish marketing.
Drones & IoT Sensors: Monitoring water quality, feeding, and fish health in real-time.
Cold-Chain & Smart Logistics: Solar-powered cold storages, e-platforms for fish trade ensure better prices and reduced waste.

Way Forward

Sustainability First: Balance between higher production and ecological protection.
Strengthening Value Chains: Expand cold storage, processing units, and export hubs.
Social Security Nets: Universalise insurance and pension schemes for fishers.
Women-Centric Approaches: Expand women-led cooperatives and FFPOs.
Blue Economy Strategy: Integrate fisheries with marine tourism, shipping, and renewable energy.
Research & Innovation: Encourage R&D in genetics, breeding, and climate-resilient species.
International Standards: Strengthen traceability, certification, and quality compliance for exports.