The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying released a comprehensive update on India's fisheries and aquaculture sector transformation, highlighting significant growth achievements and technological advancements. India has emerged as the world's second-largest fish producer contributing 8% of global production, the second-largest aquaculture producer, and the largest producer and exporter of shrimp.
Since 2015, the Government of India has approved cumulative investments exceeding ₹39,272 crore across flagship schemes for holistic fisheries development. This investment has driven remarkable growth, with annual fish production more than doubling from 95.79 lakh tonnes in 2013-14 to a record 198 lakh tonnes in 2024-25. Inland fisheries and aquaculture production increased by 147% during this period, from 61.36 lakh tonnes to 151.60 lakh tonnes.
Seafood exports have shown similar growth, more than doubling from ₹30,213 crore in 2013-14 to a record ₹73,890 crore in 2025-26. Technology infusion has been a cornerstone of this transformation, particularly through the adoption of Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems (RAS) and Biofloc technology under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).
The program has approved 9,467 RAS units and 4,573 Biofloc units with investments of ₹4,120 crore under PMMSY. These technologies enable year-round fish farming in controlled environments, recycling 90-95% of water and allowing farming units to be established closer to urban consumption centers and export hubs. RAS maintains optimal growing conditions through water treatment and recirculation systems, while Biofloc technology harnesses beneficial microorganisms to improve water quality and support fish growth.
These technologies are expanding aquaculture beyond traditional geographies, being adopted in cold-water fisheries clusters across Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh for premium species like trout, while also supporting export-oriented shrimp production in saline and brackish-water systems. The systems are also being applied in ornamental fish rearing units, creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs.
The technology-driven approach ensures consistency in quality, traceability and biosecurity—critical attributes for global seafood markets. The sector is moving toward diversification into high-value species including shrimp, trout, seabass, tilapia, murrel and pangasius to enable greater value realization and improved international market access.
The fisheries sector supports nearly three crore fishers and fish farmers while generating employment across production, processing, marketing and export value chains. The continued integration of technology with digital monitoring platforms, artificial intelligence, drone-enabled services and renewable energy solutions is expected to enhance operational efficiency and reduce production costs, advancing India's blue economy aspirations under the Viksit Bharat vision.