Indian fisheries and aquaculture is an important sector of food production, providing nutritional security to the food basket, contributing to the agricultural exports and engaging about fourteen million people in different activities. With diverse resources ranging from deep seas to lakes in the mountains and more than 10% of the global biodiversity in terms of fish and shellfish species, the country has shown continuous and sustained increments in fish production since independence. Constituting about 6.3% of the global fish production, the sector contributes to 1.1% of the GDP and 5.15% of the agricultural GDP. The total fish production of 10.07 million metric tonnes presently has nearly 65% contribution from the inland sector and nearly the same from culture fisheries. Paradigm shifts in terms of increasing contributions from inland sector and further from aquaculture are significations over the years. With high growth rates, the different facets of marine fisheries, coastal aquaculture, inland fisheries, freshwater aquaculture, cold water fisheries to food, health, economy, exports, employment and tourism of the country.
Development Agencies (FFDAs) and 39 Brackish water Fish Farms Development Agencies (BFDAs) for promoting freshwater and coastal aquaculture. The annual carp seed production is to the tune of 25 billion and that of shrimp about 12 billion, with increasing diversification in the recent past. Along with food fish culture, ornamental fish culture and high value fish farming are gaining importance in the recent past. With over 2.4 lakh fishing crafts operating in the coast, six major fishing harbours, 62 minor fishing harbours and 1511 landing centres are functioning to cater to the needs of over 3.9 million fisherfolk.
Fish and fish products have presently emerged as the largest group in agricultural exports of India, with 10.51 lakh tonnes in terms of quantity and Rs.33,442 crores in value.
This accounts for around 10% of the total exports of the country and nearly 20% of the agricultural exports. More than 50 different types of fish and shellfish products are exported to 75 countries around the world.
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Indian Fisheries
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| Global position
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3rd in Fisheries 2nd in Aquaculture
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| Contribution of Fisheries to GDP (%)
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1.07
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| Contribution to Agril. GDP (%)
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5.15
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| Per capita fish availability (Kg.)
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9.0
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| Annual Export earnings (Rs. In Crore)
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33,441.61
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| Employment in sector (million)
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14.0
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Resources
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| Coastline
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8129 kms
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| Exclusive Economic Zone
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2.02 million sq. km
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| Continental Shelf
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0.506 million sq. km
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| Rivers and Canals
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1,91,024 km
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| Reservoirs
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3.15 million ha
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| Ponds and Tanks
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2.35 million ha
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| Oxbow lakes and derelict waters
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1.3 million ha
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| Brackishwaters
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1.24 million ha
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| Estuaries
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0.29 million ha
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Some Facts
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| Present fish Production
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6.4 mmt
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| Inland
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3.4 mmt
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| Marine
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3.0 mmt
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| Potential fish production
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8.4 mmt
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| Fish seed production
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21,000 million fry
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| Hatcheries
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1,070
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| FFDA
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422
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| BFDA
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39
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Blue Revolution
There is a huge untapped potential in fisheries and aquaculture, which can contribute considerably to improve the livelihoods as also women empowerment. The future development of aquaculture depends on adoption of new and innovative production technologies, management and utilization of less utilized water resources and proper market tie-ups. Reservoir fisheries offers a major opportunity to enhance fish production in the country. In the marine sector, while the coastal fisheries have been fully exploited, deep-sea fisheries resources are yet to be harnessed. Diversification and high value produce will add new dimensions to this sector. Proper post-harvest handling, reduction of losses and hygienic primary processing are important to realize full potentials of the sector. Simultaneously, effective marketing arrangements are to be made to ensure adequate returns to the fishers and the farmers and also make available of good quality fish at affordable prices to the consumers. With these in view, an end-to-end approach from ensuring proper input availability to efficient marketing is contemplated, for a ‘win-win’ situation for both the fish producer and the consumer. Set in this background, the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) would seek to realize the full potentials of Indian fisheries through coordination of different agencies and public-private partnerships