India’s marine fish production has registered a sharp rise from 34.76 lakh tonnes in 2020-21 to 44.95 lakh tonnes in 2023-24, marking an annual average growth rate of 8.9 per cent, Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying George Kurian informed Parliament on Wednesday.
The ICAR–Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) reported that 91.1 per cent of the 135 marine fish stocks assessed across regions during 2022 were found to be sustainable. Fisheries research institutes under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) are also carrying out scientific studies to gauge the impact of climate change and to develop climate-resilient strategies for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture.
Under the National Innovation in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA), studies are being conducted on wetland fisheries in Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and Kerala, along with climate trend analysis of major river basins, fish distribution shifts, catch composition and yield. In the marine sector, research includes climate change modelling, projections for fish catch and mariculture, ocean acidification, blue carbon studies and adaptive management. Awareness and capacity-building programmes are also underway in states such as Odisha, Assam, West Bengal and Kerala to prepare fishing communities for climate impacts.
The government said the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) is playing a key role in climate adaptation and mitigation by promoting sustainable fishing practices, eco-friendly aquaculture and marine ecosystem conservation. Artificial reef development and sea ranching programmes are among the major ecological restoration efforts. A flagship initiative under PMMSY aims to develop 100 coastal fishermen villages into climate-resilient, economically vibrant hubs. Each village is being developed with an investment of Rs 2 crore fully funded by the Centre.
In addition, PMMSY has sanctioned 58 fishing harbours and landing centres at an outlay of Rs 3,281.31 crore, besides support for cold storage, fish retail markets, wholesale markets, kiosks, value-added enterprises and post-harvest transportation facilities. More than 27,000 post-harvest transport units have been approved, including refrigerated and insulated trucks, live fish vending centres, motorbikes and bicycles with ice boxes. The deployment of Sagar Mitras in coastal villages is further helping fishers adopt hygienic handling and sustainable practices.
The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), through its NETFISH initiative, has also conducted over 45,500 awareness and training programmes since 2007, reaching nearly 15 lakh stakeholders. These measures have helped reduce post-harvest losses, improve seafood quality, enhance fisher incomes and boost the competitiveness of Indian marine exports.