In January 2026, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MoFAHD) reported that India’s fish production more than doubled over the past decade, rising 106% from 95.79 lakh tonnes in Financial Year (FY) 2013-14 (FY14) to 197.75 lakh tonnes in FY 2024-25 (FY25), marking historic growth in the fisheries sector.”
- India, the world’s second-largest fish producer, contributing 8% to global output, ranks second in aquaculture, leads in shrimp production and exports, and is the second-largest producer in capture fisheries.
Exam Hints:
- What? India’s fish production doubled in a decade to 197.75 lakh tonnes (FY25).
Reported by: Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MoFAHD) - Global Ranking of India:
- Second-largest fish producer contributing 8% to global output,
- Ranks second in aquaculture,
- Leads in shrimp production and exports, and
- The second-largest producer in capture fisheries.
- Aquaculture Productivity: Average 4.77 tonnes/ha.
- Seafood Exports: Rs 62,408 crore; 16.98 lakh tonnes exported.
Agriculture GVA: Fisheries contribute 7.43% to Agri GVA, highest in allied sectors. - Total Investment: Rs 38,572 crore including PMMSY, PMMKSSY, FIDF, Blue Revolution.
Fisheries Sector Performance:
Aquaculture Productivity: Average productivity rose to 4.77 tonnes per hectare (tonnes/ha).
Seafood Exports: India’s seafood exports reached an all-time high of Rs. 62,408 crore (USD 7,453.73 million) in FY 2024-25, up 3.11% from Rs. 60,523.89 crore (USD 7,381.89 million) in 2023-24, with 16.98 lakh tonnes of seafood exported.
- Value-added seafood exports rose 56% over the last five years, from Rs. 4,863.40 crore to Rs. 7,589.93 crore, contributing nearly 11% to the export basket.
Agriculture GVA Contribution: Fisheries sector contributes 7.43% to Agriculture Gross Value Added (GVA) since 2014-15, One of the highest among Agri & Allied sectors.
Employment Generation: 74.66 lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities created since 2014-15.
Fisheries Schemes and Achievements (2025–26):
Total Investment: Since 2014-15, projects worth Rs 32,723 crore have been approved under various fisheries schemes, with total investments under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PMMKSSY), Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), and the Blue Revolution reaching Rs 38,572 crore.
Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY):
Target Sectors: Inland Fisheries, Marine Fisheries, Aquaculture, Fishermen Welfare, Fisheries Infrastructure, Aquatic Health Management, Ornamental Fisheries, Seaweed Cultivation, and Northeast Region Development.
Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PMMKSSY):
Target Sector: The scheme targets the fisheries and aquaculture sector with the objective of formalisation, improved access to credit and insurance, promotion of microenterprises, and strengthening fish safety systems.
Component focus:
- Component 1A – Formalisation
- Component 1B – Aquaculture Insurance
- Component 2 – Fisheries Microenterprises
- Component 3 – Fish safety & quality Assurance Systems
- Component 4 – Project Management, Monitoring & Reporting (PMMR)
Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF):
Approvals: A total of 225 projects with an outlay of Rs.6,685.78 crore have been approved, including Rs.754.50 crore from private enterprises.
Infrastructure & Impact: Projects include harbours, landing centres, processing & ice units, training & seed farms, supporting 8,100+ vessels, 1.09 lakh tonnes landings, 3.3 lakh fishers, and 2.5 lakh jobs.
Kisan Credit Card (KCC): Since 2018-19, the KCC facility has been extended to fishers and fish farmers to meet working capital needs, with 4.49 lakh cards sanctioned totaling Rs. 3,569.60 crore.
Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA):
Launch: DAJGUA, launched on 2nd October 2024, implements 25 interventions by 17 Ministries to bridge infrastructural gaps in rural areas.
Approvals: Under DAJGUA, 5,567 units approved with a total cost of Rs. 146 crore (Centre: Rs. 85.09 crore, State: Rs. 46.98 crore, Beneficiary: Rs. 13.91 crore).
Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY): Announced in Union Budget 2025–26; convergence of 36 schemes across 11 ministries benefiting 1.7 crore farmers, including fisheries stakeholders.
Development of Northeast Regions: Total Project cost of Rs 1722.79 crore have been approved with a central share of Rs 980.40 crore. This includes 7063.29 ha Construction of new ponds, 5063.11 ha area for Integrated Fish Farming, 644 Ornamental Fisheries units, 470 Biofloc units, 231 hatcheries, 148 Re-circulatory Aquaculture System (RAS) and 140 feed mills have been approved.
National & International Recognition:
World Fisheries Day: The day was celebrated on 21st November 2025 with the theme “India’s Blue Transformation: Strengthening Value Addition in Seafood Exports.”
- Launched initiatives include the National Traceability Framework and SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) for mariculture, fishing harbours, marine fish landing centres, reservoir fisheries, and coastal aquaculture.
National Fish Farmer Day (10th July 2025): Guidelines on seed certification and hatchery operations were issued, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) training calendar released, and 17 new fisheries production and processing clusters notified.
About Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (MoFAHD):
Union Minister– Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh (Constituency- Munger, Bihar)
Ministers of State (MoS)– Professor. S.P. Singh Baghel (Constituency- Agra, Uttar Pradesh, UP); George Kurian (Rajya Sabha – Madhya Pradesh, MP)
