India Ranks 2nd in Global Fish Production

India’s fish production has doubled in a decade, now contributing 8% to global output, supported by major government schemes aimed at boosting aquaculture, infrastructure, and sustainable fisheries management.

India has firmly established its position as a global leader in fisheries, now ranking second in fish production worldwide, contributing approximately 8% to global output. This significant development was shared by Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh during a high-level meeting held in Kolkata, which included representatives from West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh.

Speaking at the event, the minister underlined the sector’s impressive growth trajectory, noting that India’s total fish production more than doubled from 95.7 lakh metric tonnes in 2013–14 to over 184 lakh metric tonnes in 2023–24, registering a remarkable 103% increase.

This surge in output has positioned India as a dominant force not only in total fish production but also in key sub-segments. India now ranks:

• 2nd in overall fish production globally

• 2nd in aquaculture production

• 1st in shrimp production

• 3rd in capture fisheries production

Major contributors to this growth include states like Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Karnataka, with inland fisheries—fish cultivation in ponds, tanks, reservoirs, and rivers—accounting for more than 75% of the country’s total fish production.

Key Challenges Facing India’s Fisheries Sector

Despite impressive gains, the Indian fisheries industry faces several environmental, economic, and operational hurdles:

1. Environmental Challenges

   • Water pollution, particularly from plastic waste and industrial runoff

   • Carbon emissions from traditional diesel-based fishing operations

   • Climate change, which affects breeding cycles and fish availability

2. Economic and Structural Issues

   • The sector is largely unorganized, relying on small-scale and artisanal fishers

   • Lack of modern infrastructure, cold chains, and high transportation and marketing costs

3. Regulatory and Monitoring Concerns

   • Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing continues to impact sustainability

   • Inadequate real-time data on fish stock and migratory patterns

To address these multilayered challenges, the Government of India has launched several transformative initiatives. Chief among them is the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), a flagship scheme aimed at enhancing aquaculture productivity, modernizing supply chains, and generating employment. This includes the establishment of Integrated Aqua Parks, the promotion of deep-sea fishing, and strengthening post-harvest infrastructure like cold chains and processing units.

As a part of this broader effort, the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY) has been introduced to address financial and technological gaps through training, access to credit, and digital empowerment of fish farmers.

Complementing these efforts, the Blue Revolution Scheme adopts a holistic approach to developing both marine and inland fisheries by supporting hatcheries, seed farms, and harbor facilities.

Another key financial intervention is the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), which provides funding for critical infrastructure such as fish landing centers, processing hubs, and aquaculture parks, enabling producers to scale up sustainably.

Additionally, the National Marine Fisheries Policy 2017 offers a framework for conserving marine biodiversity while promoting responsible fishing practices through community-based resource management.

Together, these policy measures not only aim to bolster production and exports but also strive to make fisheries a sustainable and inclusive growth engine for India. With continued investment, ecological stewardship, and institutional support, India’s fisheries sector is poised to play an even greater role in ensuring nutritional security, employment generation, and economic resilience, especially for coastal and rural communities.

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