Fish production surges 104 pc, infra projects rise towards Blue Economy

New Delhi, Aug 24 (IANS) The country’s total fish production has grown by 104 per cent from 96 lakh tonnes in 2013–14 to 195 lakh tonnes in 2024–25, as inland fisheries expanded by 142 per cent for the same period from 61 lakh tonnes to 147.37 lakh tonnes, according to government data.

As of July 22, Fisheries Department approved fisheries development projects worth Rs 21,274.16 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana.

As of April, Rs 11.84 crore has already been sanctioned under The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY) to support early implementation.

“As of August, a total of more than 26 lakh stakeholders including fishers, micro-enterprises, Fish Farmer Producer Organisations and private companies have registered on National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP),” as per the official data.

India stands as the second largest fish producing nation in the world, contributing around 8 per cent of global output. The sector is a key source of food, jobs and income for millions of families, particularly in coastal and rural areas.

Over the last decade it has undergone a major transformation in both scale and method.

“As of July 29, the Department of Fisheries has supported infrastructure projects under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana with a total outlay of Rs 17,210.46 crore.

“As of June 2025, 4.76 lakh Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs) have been issued to fishers and fish farmers across all States and Union Territories, with a total disbursement of Rs 3,214.32 crore,” the data showed.

The Union Budget 2025-26, proposed the highest ever total annual budgetary support of Rs 2,703.67 crore for the fisheries sector.

The Department has officially notified 34 fisheries clusters across the country. This includes dedicated organic fisheries clusters in Sikkim and Meghalaya, encouraging environmentally sustainable practices.

India’s fisheries sector is undergoing a major transformation through strong policy support, modern technologies, and inclusive initiatives. Schemes like PMMSY and PM-MKSSY are boosting production, improving infrastructure, and empowering fishers, especially women and tribal communities.

—IANS

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