Fisheries and Aquaculture comprise an important sector of food production in India, contributing sizably to the food basket. In India, this promising sector provides livelihood, employment and entrepreneurship to more than 2.8 crore fishers and fish farmers at the primary level and several lakhs along the value chain. India is the third largest fish producing country in the world with a production of 162.48 lakh tonnes in 2021-22, contributing 8 percent to the global fish production and ranks second in aquaculture production. Fish and fish products have presently emerged as one of the largest groups in agricultural exports of India, with an all-time high achievement in marine export earning of Rs. 63,969 crores in the year 2022-23.
The National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) was established in 2006 as an autonomous organization under the administrative control of the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India to enhance fish production and productivity in the country and to coordinate fishery development in an integrated and holistic manner. A wide range of fishery development activities viz., intensive aquaculture in ponds and tanks, culture based capture fisheries in reservoirs, Coastal Aquaculture, Mariculture, Sea Weed cultivation, establishment of infrastructure, fishing harbours and fish landing centres, fishing dressing centres and solar drying of fish, domestic marketing, deep sea fishing and tuna processing, ornamental fisheries, trout culture, artificial reefs technology upgradation and capacity building of fishermen and fish farmers are being supported through the State Governments/Implementing agencies. Read More
