April 15, 2024

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India is the third largest producer of fish in the world (17.4 million tonnes) in 2022-23. India contributes to 8% of the total fish production in the world.
- Note: In 2019-20, India was the 2nd largest fish producer in the world with 14.6 million tonnes.
Inland fishery has a major share in India’s fish output with a total production of 16.1 million tonnes (Budget 2024-25 speech).
Fish has the potential of a fast-growing sector. Keeping this in mind, government created a separate Department of Fisheries in Feb 2019.

Fishery is a state subject, thus fishing in the IW and TS come within the purview of the states concerned.
- Other activities in the TS and activities, including fishing beyond the TS upto the limit of EEZ, are in the Union List
- The Respective State Marine Fishing Regulation Acts (MFRA) protect and regulate the fishery resources in the territorial waters (i.e. upto 12 nautical miles from the baseline)
- Maritime Zones of India (Regulation and Fishing of Foreign Vessels) Act, 1981, or MZI Act, regulates fishing by foreign fishing vessels in the maritime zones.

It is a flagship scheme for focused and sustainable development of fisheries sector in India.
Targets:
- Enhance fish production to 220 lakh metric tons by 2024-25 at an average growth rate of 9%. This result will also lead to doubling export earning to Rs 1,00,000 crores and generate direct and indirect export employment opportunities of about 55 lakhs in the fisheries sector over next five years.
Aims and Objectives:
» Harnessing fishing potential in a sustainable, inclusive and equitable manner
» Enhancing of fish production
» Modernization and Strengthening of Value Chain – post harvest management and quality improvement.
» Doubling income of fishermen and fish farmers and generating employment
» Ensuing social, physical and economic security of fishers and fish farmers
» Robust fishery management and regulatory framework.
The scheme envisages an investment of Rs 20 thousand crores in five years [Centre-9407 crore, States – 4880 crores, Beneficiaries – 5763 crores].
- Under this scheme, Rs 11,000 crore will be spent on activities in Marine, Inland fisheries and Aquaculture and Rs 9,000 crore will be spent for developing infrastructure (such as fishing harbours, cold chain, markets)
It will be implemented over a period of five years from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25 in all states/UTs.

Why in news?
- Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (FAH&D) launched Sagar Parikrama Phase-9 on 7th Oct 2023 at Thondi, Tamil Nadu.
Sagar Parikrama is an outreach program intended to reach out fishermen community across the entire coastal belt of the country. It has been launched to understand the issues, experiences and aspirations of fisherfolks and also to create awareness of various schemes and programs including PMMSY and KCC of the Government available to fishermen in coastal areas.
The first eight phases of Sagar Parikrama have covered 4,115 km in 8 Coastal states/UTs including Gujarat, Diu & Daman, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Puducherry, and Andaman & Nicobar.

What are Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture?
- Inland fishery is any activity conducted to extract fish and other aquatic organisms from inland waters
- Aquaculture is the breeding, rearing and harvesting of fish, shellfish, plants, algae, and other organisms in all types of water environments. Aquaculture can be marine or Freshwater.
- Current Situation:
- The inland fish production in the country has witnessed a healthy growth in last five years with production reaching 131.13 lakh tonnes 2022-23. The details of year-wise inland fish production during last five years is given as under:

S.No.	Year	Fish Production (in Lakh Tonnes)	Annual Growth Rate (%)
1	2018-19	97.2	8.62
2	2019-20	104.37	7.37
3	2020-21	112.49	7.8
4	2021-22	121.21	7.76
5	2022-23	131.13	8.18

Level Up IAS

Animal Rearing (Fishery Sector)