Major steps initiated by Government of India for the expansion of aquaculture across the country

Technical organizations involved in fisheries and aquaculture and the state fisheries directorates, 8 Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutions, 4 institutions under Department of Fisheries and Marine Product Export Development Authority (MPEDA) and its affiliates namely Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture (RGCA) and Network for Fish Quality Management and Sustainable Fishing (NETFISH). These organizations conduct necessary training and awareness programmes and render necessary guidance to fishers and fish farmers. Steps are being taken to coordinate the efforts of all these institutions to make extension effective though various coordination committees. To expand aquaculture, the Department under the ongoing Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) has taken steps to intensify and diversify inland fisheries and aquaculture with focus on diversification of species, introduction of new species and peg the critical gaps in the demand and supply of quality brood and seed of cultivable species and species-specific feeds, adequate number of brood banks, hatcheries, seed rearing units, specific pathogen free or resistant seed, genetically improved brood stock, and feed mills. As a result, Inland fisheries and aquaculture has contributed 74.59% of the total fish production of India during 2021-22. Fishers are being encouraged to take up aquaculture through fish rearing in public ponds, in reservoir through stocking and cage culture and in estuaries and coastal water through marine cages, RAS and biofloc, pen culture etc.

To increase knowledge of fishers and fish farmers, extensive training programmes are being carried out by these institutions under funding from PMMSY and also through their own resources. Under PMMSY, 916 training and awareness programmes have been organized so far and may more will be organized in next 2 years both in physical and virtual mode. Training in given both for aquaculture, fishing technology and on post harvest technology. In addition, app like MatsyaSetu have been developed to enable self learning by fishermen.

Growth of marine capture fisheries is rather limited and therefore fish production can be increased mostly through fresh water and brackish water fish farming. Country is endowed with beautiful water resources in form of river, lakes, wetlands and reservoirs. In addition ponds can be created anywhere. RAS, biofloc require very little land and can be done anywhere provided there in a dependable water source and power supply. Thus fresh water fish farming will provide the bulk of growth in fisheries sector in coming years.

This information was given by Shri Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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SS/RKM