India’s Fisheries and Aquaculture: A Promising Growth Story

Source: The hindu

India is the world’s second-largest producer of fish, generating 32 million tonnes (2022) of aquatic products valued at ₹3.3 lakh crore, according to FAO-SOFIA 2024. Over the past decade, India’s fisheries and aquaculture sectors have expanded rapidly due to technological innovation, institutional support, coastal aquaculture reforms, and schemes like PMMSY. Yet, despite 90% of fishers being small-scale, the sector continues to face challenges such as overfishing, pollution, climate stress, lack of credit, weak traceability, and poor post-harvest infrastructure, limiting global competitiveness and domestic sustainability.

Key Issues

1. Overfishing and Environmental Stress

FAO notes depletion of several species in India due to

overextraction,

pollution, and habitat loss.

Coastal aquaculture often strains ecosystems through nutrient loading, salinity changes, and land degradation.

2. Limited Access for Small-Scale Fishers

>90% of fishers are small-scale, but they face constraints in:
- formal credit
- cold-chain logistics
- modern boats and gear
- quality seed and feed
- Result: Loss of income and poor integration into high-value export chains.

3. Weak Value-Chain Infrastructure

India’s post-harvest losses exceed 20–25%, reducing export potential.
Traceability and certification requirements for EU/US markets still lag behind global benchmarks.

4. Climate Change Vulnerability

Increasing sea temperatures, acidity, cyclones and coastal erosion directly reduce fish stocks and fishing days.
Inland aquaculture faces challenges related to water scarcity and extreme rainfall cycles.

5. Policy and Regulatory Gaps

Fragmented institutional oversight between Centre, States, and coastal authorities slows approvals.
Monoculture plantations (e.g., shrimp-only farms) reduce biodiversity and long-term sustainability.

Global Practices

1. Norway – Digital Traceability Leadership

Uses blockchain-enabled systems for complete traceability “boat-to-plate”.
India can adopt similar mechanisms for export competitiveness.

2. Vietnam – Farmer Clusters for Aquaculture

Organises small farmers into cooperatives for quality control, feed purchases, and market access.

3. Chile – Climate-Resilient Aquaculture Zones

Regulates aquaculture spatially to reduce disease risk and environmental strain.

4. Japan – Integrated Port Infrastructure

Modern fishing harbours provide cold storage, processing, and logistics, boosting value addition.

Indian Committee Recommendations

1. FAO–BOBLME Small Fisheries Report

Strengthen coastal ecosystem management, co-management, and post-harvest improvements.

2. Meenakshi Committee (Export Competitiveness)

Calls for modernising fishing harbours, boosting food safety labs, and global traceability compliance.

3. National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB)

Promote species diversification, RAS (Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems), and modern hatchery technology.

4. Blue Revolution & PMMSY Review Committees

Strengthen digital fishery records, expand “Matsya Seva Kendras”, and ensure climate adaptation support.

Way Forward

1. Strengthen Small-Scale Fisheries

Expand formal credit through Kisan Credit Card—Fisheries Edition.
Organise fishers into FPOs/cooperatives to enhance bargaining power.

2. Climate-Resilient Aquaculture

Promote IMTA (Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture), low-carbon shrimp farming, and climate-resilient seed varieties.

3. Modernise Fishing Harbours

Implement FAO Technical Cooperation Projects to upgrade processing, storage, and value addition facilities.

4. Ensure Traceability and Certification

Create a national digital traceability platform, especially for shrimp and seabass exports.

5. Promote Sustainable Aquaculture Practices

Reduce monoculture; increase native species production; adopt water-efficient, land-efficient farming systems.

6. Strengthen Research & Innovation

Invest in genomics, disease-resistant broodstock, data-driven fishery forecast models.

Conclusion

India’s fisheries and aquaculture sectors are on a high-growth, high-potential trajectory, supported by reforms, technology, and global demand. However, future success requires shifting from volume-based expansion to sustainable, climate-resilient, community-centric growth. Strengthening small-scale fishers, adopting global best practices, and modernising value chains will define India’s leadership in the Blue Economy.

UPSC Prelims Practice Question

Q. With reference to India’s fisheries sector, consider the following statements:

India is the second-largest fish-producing country in the world.
More than 90% of Indian fishers are classified as small-scale fishers.
Green India Mission (GIM) is the main scheme for promoting aquaculture.

Which of the statements are correct?

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 2 and 3 only

c) 1 and 3 only

d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: A

(Statement 3 is incorrect—PMMSY is the main scheme, not GIM.)

UPSC Mains Practice Question

Q1. “India’s fisheries and aquaculture sector is growing rapidly, but sustainability, climate resilience, and value-chain modernization remain major challenges.” Discuss with examples. (150/250 words)

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