The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying is organizing an Outreach Programme at Agatti, Lakshadweep on August 31, 2026, where the Hon'ble Vice President of India will release the "Mission Rangeen Machhli 2031" Strategic Action Plan for Ornamental Fisheries Development. The event will be attended by Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Minister of State S. P. Singh Baghel, and Lakshadweep Administrator Praful Khode Patel, along with fish farmers, fishers, and government officials.
The strategic action plan provides a uniform framework for scientific management, biosecurity, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance across the ornamental fisheries value chain. It standardizes practices relating to broodstock management, breeding, hatchery operations, production systems, quarantine, health management, traceability, aquarium operations, handling, transport, and trade. The plan aims to strengthen stakeholder capacities, improve product quality and biosecurity standards, facilitate certification and market access, and support sustainable growth of India's ornamental fisheries sector.
India possesses significant marine resources with a coastline spanning 11,099 km, an Exclusive Economic Zone of 2.2 million sq. km, and an estimated marine fisheries potential of 5.31 million tonnes. Lakshadweep specifically has an EEZ of nearly 4 lakh sq. km (representing about 17% of India's total EEZ) and a lagoon area of over 4,200 sq. km. The government is adopting a cluster-based approach, with Lakshadweep notified as a dedicated Seaweed Cluster to promote cultivation, processing, value addition, and market linkages.
The marine fisheries potential within India's EEZ is estimated at 58.6 lakh MT, supporting approximately 50 lakh fishers and contributing significantly to food security, nutrition, employment, income generation, and export revenues. India exported seafood valued at ₹73,890 crore during FY 2025-26 and is among the leading fisheries and aquaculture producing countries globally. Lakshadweep is particularly endowed with rich oceanic fisheries resources, especially high-value tuna species like Yellowfin Tuna and Skipjack Tuna, which form the backbone of the island's marine fisheries sector.
During the outreach program, the Hon'ble Vice President will distribute benefits to beneficiaries in the fisheries sector alongside releasing the strategic action plan. The government has previously notified enabling frameworks for sustainable harnessing of fisheries from the Indian EEZ and High Seas, including Guidelines for Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the High Seas by Indian-Flagged Fishing Vessels, 2025.