Parliament Question: Income levels of small and traditional fishermen

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION. No. 2941 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18TH MARCH, 2026 Income levels of small and traditional fishermen 2941. Shri Jose K. Mani: Will the Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying be pleased to state: (a) whether Government has assessed the income levels of small and traditional fishermen; (b) if so, the details thereof; (c) whether insurance and social security coverage has been extended to all fishermen; and (d) the measures taken to address distress in the fisheries sector? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING (SHRI RAJIV RANJAN SINGH ALIAS LALAN SINGH) (a) to (d): The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India during the last five years (FY 2020-21 to 2024-25) has taken up several initiatives including implementing various schemes for holistic development of fisheries and aquaculture including improvement of pisciculture infrastructure in the country. The fisheries development schemes implemented include (i) Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), (ii) Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) and (iii) Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah Yojana (PM-MKSSY). In addition, Kisan Credit Card (KCC) facility is also provided to fishers and fish farmers to meet their working capital requirements. The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, during the last five years (FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25) has accorded approvals to fisheries development proposals worth of Rs.28898 crore of various States Governments, Union Territories and other End Implementing Agencies. This includes projects worth of Rs.21,274.14 crore approved under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and Rs.7623.46 crore under Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF). Additionally, Kisan Credit Card facility to 5,04,848 fishers and fish farmers with loan amount of Rs.3837.80 crore have been issued so far .to meet their working capital. These initiatives contributed towards enhancement of fish production, productivity, quality thereby enhancing the income of fishers and fish farmers. While no specific calculation has been made to assess average income of fishers during the last five years, the initiatives taken by the Government of India including diversification of fisheries have been contributing towards augmentation of fish production, productivity, quality to meet the consumer demands and preference and export thereby attributing to enhancement of income of fishers & fish farmers. During the last five years (2020-21 to 2024-25), fish production increased from 141.64 lakh tonne in 2019-20 to 197.75 lakh tonne in 2024-25. Similarly, fisheries export has also increased from Rs.46,666 crore (2019-20) to Rs.62,408 crore (2024-25).PMMSY inter-alia envisages several welfare related activities for fishers and fish farmers including (i) Group Accidental Insurance Coverage of Rs.5.00 lakh against death or permanent total disability, Rs. 2.50 lakh against permanent partial disability and Rs. 25,000 against accidental hospitalization in the age group of 18 to 70 years, (ii) livelihood and nutritional support for socio- economically backward active traditional fishers families for conservation of fish resources during fishing ban/lean period wherein assistance is provided @Rs.3000/- per fisher during fishing ban/lean period, (iii) fishing vessel insurance support, (iv) replacement of net and boat as well support for acquisition and upgradation of fishing vessel for deep sea fishing. The Government of India accords paramount importance to the safety of fishermen at sea. Besides providing communication/tracking devices and sea-safety kits to fishermen, a specific project on fitment of one lakh transponders onboard the fishing vessels at a total cost of Rs.364 crore has been rolled out under PMMSY with the facility of two-way communication to send short messages during any emergency, provides alert in case of cyclone or natural calamities and also alerts to fishermen during maritime boundary crossing. *****