Parliament Question: Fisheries Infrastructure under PMMSY in Tamil Nadu

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 304 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22nd JULY, 2025 Fisheries Infrastructure under PMMSY in Tamil Nadu 304. Shri Sasikanth Senthil: Will the Minister of FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING be pleased to state: (a) whether the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) includes components aimed at developing climate resilient fisheries infrastructure in Tamil Nadu's coastal districts, if so, the details thereof; (b) whether the implementation of PMMSY projects in the State has aligned with the objectives of State Action Plan on Climate Change; (c) whether any scientific assessments or studies have been conducted to evaluate the impact of climate change on fish catch and marine biodiversity in the State, particularly in vulnerable coastal regions and if so, the key findings; (d) whether the Government has taken any steps to address marine and industrial pollution in ecologically sensitive zones such as Ennore Creek and Pulicat Lagoon in the State, if so, the details thereof; and (e) the specific measures undertaken by the Government to mitigate the effects of thermal discharge, effluent flow and port related activities on the fisheries ecosystem along the Ennore Coast ? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING (SHRI GEORGE KURIAN) (a): Yes, the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) implemented by the Department of Fisheries, Government of India (DoF, GoI) includes a component “Development of 100 Coastal Fishermen Villages as Climate Resilient Coastal Fishermen Villages (CRCFV)”. This is aimed at developing the existing 100 fishermen villages situated close to the coastline in various States and Union Territories (UTs), including that in Tamil Nadu’s coastal districts, into Climate Resilient Coastal Fishermen Villages, and to transform them to economically vibrant fishermen villages. The guidelines of PMMSY for the component of CRCFV has listed a basket of activities that includes infrastructure components and economic activities that aid enhancing the resilience of the villages to climate change impacts. Sixteen coastal fishing villages in the Tamil Nadu have been selected for development as CRCFV. The Government of Tamil Nadu has informed that activities spread across the infrastructure and economic components have been proposed in these villages. The details of the activities approved for the selected 16 villages are provided in the Annexure I.(b): The Government of Tamil Nadu has informed that the PMMSY projects implemented in Tamil Nadu is in alignment with the state's objectives and action plan on climate change, particularly through its focus on climate-resilient fisheries and sustainable practices. The PMMSY incorporates initiatives like seaweed cultivation, artificial reefs, and promoting climate-resilient coastal fishing villages, which directly address climate change impacts on the fisheries sector. (c): Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has informed that Tamil Nadu harvested 6.79 lakh tonnes of fish in 2024, a 20% increase from 2023, ranking second among maritime states. Lesser sardines dominated the landings (76.98%), followed by crabs (39.72%), cephalopods (38.62%), Odonus niger (38.4%) and Indian Mackerel (35.4%). Among the 14 maritime districts of Tamil Nadu, Kanyakumari recorded the highest landings of 1,57, 280 t (23.2%), followed by Tuticorin at 1,13,356 t (16.7%), Chennai with a landing of 91,927 t (13.5%) and Ramanathapuram 87,140 t (12.8%). The percentage contribution of Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Villupuram, Nagapattinam and Cuddalore districts were 9.9, 7.3, 5.7, 3.9 and 3.7% respectively to the total catch of Tamil Nadu. Further, studies on fish stocks revealed that the stocks are in good health and 91.1% of the 135 fish stocks evaluated in different regions during 2022 were found sustainable. The studies clearly indicated that there are inter annual fluctuations in landing of marine fishery resources due to changes in the climate and environmental variables. (d) and (e): The DoF, GoI through its institutes and other organizations conducts awareness programmes for the local fishers and residents to enhance the awareness regarding impact of marine pollution to livelihood and human health. The fishers are also being sensitized through State Fisheries Departments and Sagar Mitras to adopt sustainable fishing practices and to reduce micro-plastic litter generated from fishing equipment. Beyond the domestic initiatives, Government of India through DoF, GoI is collaborating in a global initiative with IMO (International Maritime Organization)- FAO (The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) to prevent or reduce marine litter in the region. *****Annexure Infrastructure components and Economic activities under the component of developing climate-resilient fisheries under PMMSY, as mentioned in Part (a) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 304 to be answered on 22nd July, 2025 are as mentioned below: INFRASTRUCTURE COMPONENTS Category Description Multipurpose Halls & Training Capacity building, emergency coordination, and Centres community events Net Mending Sheds Sheltered space for gear maintenance, ensuring continuity post-disaster Fish Drying Platforms & Solar-based drying & weather-resistant storage to Storage preserve product quality Auction hall & Market Efficient and climate-safe fish marketing and trade Facilities operations Artificial Reefs & Marine Boosts biodiversity and improves fish stock Ecosystem Support resilience Fish Preprocessing hall& Maintains freshness, reduces post-harvest loss Infrastructure Cooperative credit society Provide credit and support to their members (mostly small-scale fishers/farmers) ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES Green Fuel & Energy Efficient Reduces diesel use and carbon emissions Engines Marine Aquaculture & Promotes alternative, climate-resilient incomes Livelihood Diversification Fish value added products Increases income resilience during lean fishing Development unit seasons caused by ocean warming or cyclones. Safety & Risk Reduction Enhances fisher safety during cyclones and sea Equipment- Life buoy and life hazards jacket Value addition by integrated Improves quality, shelf-life, and marketability of fish project for fish processing. products Biofertilization production unit Converts waste into income, reduces environmental impact Mobile fish food restaurant Promotes retail sales and value-added fish product access Marine spare parts shop Ensures operational continuity and reliability ****