Context: The government has allocated a record ₹2,761.80 crore (Budget 2026–27) to strengthen India’s fisheries sector, focusing on technology, digital governance, and socio-economic inclusion.
Key Highlights:
- Sector Transformation
- Shift from traditional fishing → technology-driven aquaculture
- Focus on Blue Economy and value-chain development
- Data & Statistics
- India: 2nd largest fish producer globally (8% share)
- Production growth: 95.79 → 197.75 lakh tonnes (2013–2025)
- Contribution: 7.43% of Agricultural GVA
- Exports: ₹62,408 crore (FY 2024–25)
- Government Initiatives
- PM Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY): ₹20,050 crore investment
- Kisan Credit Card (KCC): Extended to 4.39 lakh fishers
- National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP): Digital identity & access
- FIDF: Infrastructure financing (harbours, cold chains)
- Sector Potential
- 31.5 lakh ha inland water bodies
- 11,099 km coastline + 24 lakh sq. km EEZ
- Employment: ~30 million people
- Role in nutritional security & protein supply
- Challenges
- Post-harvest losses due to poor cold chain
- Climate change impacts (cyclones, warming seas)
- Low productivity in inland fisheries
- Overfishing & sustainability issues
- Continued dependence on informal credit
Relevant Prelims Points:
- Blue Economy
- Sustainable use of ocean resources for growth, livelihoods, and jobs
- Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
- Up to 200 nautical miles from coastline
- Coastal state has sovereign rights over resources
- PMMSY (2020)
- Aim: Increase fish production, exports, income of fishers
- Biofloc Technology
- Converts waste into protein-rich feed
- Improves water efficiency and productivity
- RAS (Recirculatory Aquaculture System)
- Closed-loop system with water reuse and filtration
Relevant Mains Points:
- Economic Significance
- Boosts exports, rural income, and GDP contribution
- Strengthens India’s position in global seafood market
- Social Inclusion
- Supports marginalized coastal communities
- Digital platforms enhance financial inclusion
- Food & Nutritional Security
- Affordable source of high-quality protein
- Key for addressing malnutrition
- Sustainability Concerns
- Overfishing threatens marine biodiversity
- Climate risks require adaptive strategies
- Infrastructure Gaps
- Need for cold chains, processing units, logistics
- Compliance with SPS (Sanitary & Phytosanitary) standards
- Policy Challenges
- Fragmented governance
- Limited access to formal credit
- Technological adoption gaps
- Way Forward
- Promote deep-sea fishing to reduce coastal pressure
- Scale up modern aquaculture technologies (Biofloc, RAS)
- Strengthen Fisheries FPOs (2,195 FFPOs)
- Improve infrastructure & export standards
- Enforce sustainable fishing regulations (2025 rules)
UPSC Relevance:
• GS Paper II: Government Schemes, Welfare of vulnerable sections
• GS Paper III: Agriculture, Blue Economy, Food Security, Climate Change