**Executive Summary**
The Department of Fisheries has invested Rs. 39,272 crore since 2015 through various schemes, including PMMSY and FIDF, to modernize the fisheries sector and enhance the income of fishers. These initiatives focus on infrastructure development, technology infusion, and financial support, with specific projects and insurance coverage extending through 2026-27. Key outcomes include record fish production of 197.75 lakh tonnes and exports worth Rs. 62,408 crore by the 2024-25 fiscal year.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Core Schemes and Financial Allocation**
* **Major Initiatives:** Implementation of the Blue Revolution Scheme (2015-20), FIDF (2018-26), PMMSY (2020-25), and PM-MKSSY (2023-27).
* **Project Approvals:** From FY 2020-21 to 2024-25, the government approved proposals worth Rs. 21,274.16 crore, with a central share of Rs. 9189.74 crore.
* **FIDF Investment:** The Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund approved 228 projects totaling Rs. 5559.54 crore.
**Infrastructure and Technical Development**
* **Facility Enhancements:** Focus on cold chain facilities, ice plants, fish kiosks, and post-harvest transportation units.
* **Aquaculture Expansion:** Implementation of biofloc ponds, seaweed culture rafts, brood banks, and freshwater finfish hatcheries.
* **Specialized Projects:** Establishment of a Multipurpose Seaweed Park, artificial reefs, and the up-gradation of fishing harbours and landing centres.
**Financial and Social Security**
* **Kisan Credit Card (KCC):** 5,01,848 KCC cards were approved between FY 2022-23 and 2024-25 to provide working capital.
* **Insurance Coverage:** The Group Accident Insurance Scheme (GAIS) provides Rs. 5,00,000 for death/permanent disability and Rs. 2,50,000 for partial disability, with premiums fully funded by the government.
* **Livelihood Support:** Provision of nutritional support for 12,79,230 traditional fishers during fishing ban or lean periods (2020-26).
**Sectoral Growth Performance**
* **Production Increase:** Annual fish production rose to 197.75 lakh tonnes in 2024-25.
* **Productivity and Consumption:** Aquaculture productivity reached 4.7 tonnes per hectare, while per capita fish consumption increased to 12-13 kg.
* **Export Value:** Fisheries exports reached a value of Rs. 62,408 crore in 2024-25.
**Impact Analysis**
**Fishers and Fish Farmers**
**Impact**
They benefit from enhanced income, access to institutional credit via KCC, and comprehensive social security through government-funded accident insurance and lean-period support.
**Action Required**
Apply for Kisan Credit Cards to meet working capital needs and utilize modernized infrastructure for value addition and marketing.
**State Governments and Implementing Agencies (e.g., Tamil Nadu)**
**Impact**
Responsible for executing large-scale projects, including seaweed parks and harbour upgrades, supported by significant central funding (e.g., Rs. 1156.16 crore for Tamil Nadu under PMMSY).
**Action Required**
Monitor the implementation of approved infrastructure projects and ensure the distribution of KCC and insurance benefits to local fishing communities.
**Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying**
**Impact**
Oversees the strategic investment of Rs. 39,272 crore and the coordination of multi-year schemes to bridge critical gaps in the value chain.
**Action Required**
Continue tracking project approvals, sectoral productivity metrics, and the expansion of the Group Accident Insurance Scheme across all States and Union Territories.
Key Entities Referenced
Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY): The flagship scheme implemented for the holistic development of the fisheries sector and socio-economic upliftment of fishers through massive investments.
Department of Fisheries: The primary nodal agency under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying responsible for stepping up investments and approving fisheries development projects.
Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah Yojana (PM-MKSSY): A focused sub-scheme implemented from FY2023-24 to 2026-27 to support the livelihoods of fishers and fish farmers.
Kisan Credit Card (KCC): A credit facility extended to fishers and fish farmers to provide essential working capital for their operations.
Tamil Nadu: The central state of focus for significant infrastructure projects, including a Multipurpose Seaweed Park and integrated Fish Landing Centres.
Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying
Per capita income of fisherman in the country
Posted On: 19 MAR 2026 2:26PM by PIB Delhi
The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of
India since 2015, has substantially stepped-up investment in fisheries sector through schemes worth Rs.
39,272 crore for holistic development of fisheries, aquaculture and welfare of fishermen in the country
including Tamil Nadu. The schemes include, (i) Blue Revolution Scheme implemented from FY2015-16
to 2019-20 (ii) Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund implemented from FY2018-
19 to 2025-26, (iii) Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) implemented from FY2020-21 to
2024-25, (iv) Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah Yojana (PM-MKSSY) implemented from the
FY2023-24 to 2026-27 and (v) Extension of the facility of the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) to the fishers and
fish farmers to meet their working capital requirements. These schemes are primarily designed to address
critical gaps in fish production and productivity, quality, technology, post-harvest infrastructure and
management, modernisation and strengthening of value chain, traceability, establishing a robust fisheries
management framework and fishers’ welfare.
To achieve the objective of enhancement of fishers and fish farmers income, the focus under these
schemes is for development of aquaculture, marine fisheries, coldwater fisheries, brackishwater
aquaculture, reservoir fisheries, infrastructure, technology infusion and strengthening of fish marketing
and marketing infrastructure, value addition, and quality efficient cold chain facilities. The Department of
Fisheries, Government of India during the last five years (FY 2020-21 to 2024-25) has accorded approvals
for fisheries development proposals of various State Governments, Union Territories and other
implementing agencies amounting to Rs.21274.16 crore (with central share of Rs.9189.74 crore),
including the projects proposals of Rs.1156.16 crore for the State of Tamil Nadu under PMMSY. Under
the scheme of extension of the facility of the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) to the fishers and fish farmers,
5,01,848 number of KCC cards have been approved during the last three years (FY 2022-23 to 2024-25)
including 2,59,947 number of KCC cards approved in the State of Tamil Nadu. Under the Fisheries and
Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), the DoF, GoI has approved a total 228 projects
worth of Rs. 5559.54 crore including 108 projects worth of Rs. 2169.03 crore approved for the State of
Tamil Nadu.
During the last five years (2020-21 to 2024-25) and current year (2025-26), the Department of Fisheries,
Government of India has accorded approvals for various project proposals towards development of
fisheries and socio-economic upliftment of fishers and fish farmers, including establishment of a
Multipurpose Seaweed Park in Tamil Nadu for Rs. 127.71 crore, up-gradation of Fishing Harbour at
Pazhayar Chennai fishing harbour and construction of four integrated Fish Landing Centres at
Nettukuppam, Thazankuppam, Arangankuppam and Goonankuppam at a total project cost of Rs. 155.57
crore, establishment of 417 units of Artificial Reefs at a project cost of Rs. 129.27 crore. The other
activities approved in Tamil Nadu included new Brood Banks (02 Nos), Construction of Freshwater
finfish hatcheries (10 Nos), Area Expansion for aquaculture (265 hectare), Biofloc ponds in fresh and
brackishwater (61 hectare), brackishwater aquaculture (110 hectare), stocking of fingerlings in Reservoirs
(19302 hectare), establishment of open sea cages (102 Nos), establishment of Seaweed culture rafts (8595Nos), establishment of Seaweed culture with Monoline/tubenet (2580 Nos), Ornamental fish rearing units
(170 Nos) and Ornamental breeding and rearing units (29 Nos), establishment of Re-circulatory
Aquaculture Systems (23 Nos), Biofloc culture units (135 Nos), construction of Ice Plants/Cold storages
(40 Nos), Construction of Fish Kiosks (55 Nos) and post-harvest transportation units (1540 Nos), Bio-
toilets in mechanised fishing vessels (100 Nos), Communication and /or Tracking Devices (500 Nos) for
traditional and motorised vessels like VHF /Transponders etc., boats and nets (500 Nos) for traditional
fishermen, Safety kits for fishermen of Traditional and motorized fishing vessels (500 Nos), and
Livelihood and nutritional support for 12,79,230 traditional fishers during fishing ban/lean period (2020-
21 to 2025-26).
The schemes implementation have made vital contributions in overall growth of the fisheries and
aquaculture sector in the country, especially (i) increase of annual fish production to 197.75 lakh tonne in
2024-25, (ii) increase in fisheries export to Rs.62,408 crore in 2024-25, (iii) enhanced per capita fish
consumption to 12-13 kg and (iv) enhance aquaculture productivity to 4.7 tonne per hectare and thereby
enhancing the income of fishers and fish farmers. The annual fish production in State of Tamil Nadu has
been enhanced to 9.48 lakh tonnes during the implementation period of schemes till 2024-25.
The Department of Fisheries, Government of India under the PMMSY has also been implementing the
Group Accident Insurance Scheme (GAIS) in all States/UTs including Tamil Nadu wherein the entire
insurance premium amount is borne by the Central and State Government, with no contribution from the
beneficiary. The insurance coverage provided under the said scheme includes (i) Rs.5,00,000/- against
death or permanent total disability, (ii) Rs.2,50,000/- for permanent partial disability and (iii)
hospitalization expenses in the event of an accident for a sum of Rs. 25,000/. During last four years (from
2021-22 to 2024-25), an average of 34.49 lakh fishers have been provided insurance coverage annually,
including total 21.99 lakh fisheries of Tamil Nadu.
This information was given by Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan
Singh alias Lalan Singh in the Rajya Sabha in response to a question asked.
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