**Executive Summary**
This document details a post-budget webinar organized by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare on "Agriculture & Rural Transformation." The webinar, which included a breakout session by the Department of Fisheries, focused on charting a roadmap for accelerated sectoral growth, particularly in the fisheries sector. Key discussions revolved around leveraging the potential of reservoirs and coastal fisheries, with a call for scientific mapping, cluster-based planning, and new business models, and included over 60 recommendations for the fisheries value chain.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Budget 2026-27 and Fisheries Sector Development**
* Budget 2026-27 is presented as a roadmap to Viksit Bharat, with a focus on high-impact, scalable models across the fisheries value chain.
* For the first time, reservoir fisheries are included under a national framework with scientific guidelines in Budget 2026-27.
* Budget 2026-27 will strengthen coastal fisheries and value chains through investments in post-harvest infrastructure, market access, and women-led value addition and branding.
**Harnessing Reservoir Fisheries Potential**
* India's reservoirs are highlighted as a significant inland water resource with immense potential for rural prosperity.
* Scientific mapping of reservoir potential, cluster-based planning, and stronger coordination between local communities and State Fisheries Departments are crucial.
* Development of new business models across the fisheries value chain, including hatcheries, feed, processing, branding, exports, and logistics, is essential.
**Breakout Session Recommendations (Over 60 Recommendations Across Four Focus Areas)**
* **Pre-production:** Establishment of stock improvement/genetic improvement programs, promotion of regional brood stock banks, hatchery clusters, satellite nurseries, reservoir-based seed-rearing, standardization of fingerling quality, and prioritization of genetically improved species.
* **Production:** Scaling up of cage and pen culture, adoption of automated feeding systems, strengthening on-farm water quality monitoring, stocking density, oxygen levels, and enabling participation of women-led SHGs, FFPOs, and cooperatives.
* **Post-production:** Strengthening cold chain and landing site infrastructure, ensuring quality and branding through FSSAI-aligned testing, expanding market access through direct linkages and e-platforms, and establishing value-addition units, traceability, and fish kiosks.
* **Technology Adoption:** Traceability, real-time water quality monitoring, leveraging AI, IoT, and geospatial tools, digitized harvest and logistics systems, and onboarding of fisheries startups.
**Broader Sectoral Initiatives**
* The Department of Fisheries is supporting the sector through programs like PMMSY, FIDF, PM-MKSSY, KCC, and convergence with Mission Amrit Sarovar.
* The insights from the webinar will support the Department of Fisheries in finalizing implementation frameworks, timelines, and monitoring mechanisms.
**Background and Scale of Fisheries Sector**
* India's aquatic ecosystems include 32 lakh ha of reservoirs, 12 lakh ha of brackishwater, over 68,000 Amrit Sarovars, and 11,099 km of coastline.
* India is the second-largest fish-producing nation, with production reaching 197.75 lakh tonnes (2024-25) and contributing 1.1% to the national economy.
**Impact Analysis**
**Diverse Stakeholders (including Officials from States/UTs, NITI Aayog, RBI, industry associations, cooperatives, startups, exporters, educational institutions, and other stakeholders)**
* **Impact:** These stakeholders will be involved in the implementation of new frameworks, guidelines, and business models for the fisheries sector. They will benefit from enhanced production, community engagement, livelihood opportunities, and improved market access. The recommendations will guide their activities in areas such as genetic improvement, aquaculture practices, post-harvest infrastructure, and technology adoption.
* **Action Required:** Stakeholders are expected to participate in and contribute to the development and implementation of the action plan, adopt new technologies and business models, and collaborate with local communities and government departments to achieve the stated goals for sectoral growth.
**Department of Fisheries**
* **Impact:** The Department of Fisheries will utilize the recommendations to finalize implementation frameworks, timelines, and monitoring mechanisms for the inclusive and sustainable development of the fisheries sector.
* **Action Required:** The Department will need to translate the webinar's recommendations into concrete policies and programs, oversee their implementation, and monitor progress towards achieving accelerated sectoral growth.
**Local Communities and Rural Livelihoods**
* **Impact:** These groups are expected to benefit from increased fish production, enhanced rural prosperity, and generation of approximately one lakh livelihood opportunities through integrated development of reservoirs and Amrit Sarovars, and strengthening of coastal fisheries value chains.
* **Action Required:** They are encouraged to increase participation in fisheries activities, engage with FFPOs, cooperatives, and SHGs, and adopt recommended practices and technologies.
Key Entities Referenced
Budget 2026-27: The budget outlining plans and frameworks for the fisheries sector, including reservoir fisheries and coastal fisheries.
Department of Fisheries: The primary government body responsible for organizing the webinar and developing implementation frameworks for the fisheries sector.
Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying: The parent ministry under which the Department of Fisheries operates and which organized the post-budget webinar.
Shri Narendra Modi: The Prime Minister of India, who highlighted the potential of reservoir fisheries and the importance of the fisheries sector in his address.
PMMSY: A scheme supported by the Department of Fisheries to bolster the fisheries sector.
Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying
Post-Budget Webinar on Agriculture & Rural
Transformation Charts Roadmap for Accelerated
Sectoral Growth
Department of Fisheries’ breakout session brings together
diverse stakeholders; recommendations to guide
implementation frameworks
Hon’ble PM highlights Budget 2026 as roadmap to Viksit
Bharat; calls for high-impact, scalable models across
fisheries value chain
Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi highlights massive potential
of Reservoir Fisheries to drive rural prosperity
“Mapping, cluster planning, hatcheries, feed and logistics
essential for unlocking fisheries potential”: Hon’ble PM Shri
Modi
Posted On: 06 MAR 2026 8:39PM by PIB Delhi
A Post-Budget Webinar was organised today in hybrid mode by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’
Welfare on the theme “Agriculture & Rural Transformation.” The webinar forms part of the
Government of India’s annual post-Budget exercise aimed at ensuring timely, coordinated and
outcome-oriented implementation across Ministries and Departments.
Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in his address highlighted that India is the world’s second-
largest fish producer and underscored the contribution of Fisheries sector in India’s export share. Hon'ble
Prime Minister stressed the need for scientific mapping of reservoir potential, cluster-based planning, and
stronger coordination between local communities and State Fisheries Departments. He underscored the
importance of developing new business models across the fisheries value chain - spanning hatcheries,
feed, processing, branding, exports, and logistics to fully harness the reservoir’s potential.Hon’ble Union Minister, Fisheries Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Panchayati Raj Shri Rajiv Ranjan
Singh participated in the Inaugural session from Krishi Bhawan along with Hon’ble Minister of State for
Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj, Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel and Hon’ble
Minister of State, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Minority Affairs, Shri George Kurian.
In concluding session of the webinar, Hon’ble Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry &
Dairying and Panchayati Raj, Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel highlighted that for the first time, reservoir
fisheries have been included under a national framework with scientific guidelines under Budget 2026-27.
This will unlock the immense potential of India’s reservoirs, strengthen technology-led aquaculture, and
ensure greater participation of communities.
Hon’ble Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Minority Affairs, Shri George
Kurian during the concluding session underscored the role of fisheries sector in strengthening the rural
livelihoods and enhancing export potential. He further emphasised that Budget 2026-27 significantly
strengthens coastal fisheries and value chains through investments in post-harvest infrastructure, market
access, and women-led value addition and branding.
Breakout Session – Deliberations of Fisheries stakeholders
During the Breakout session, the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry &
Dairying, Government of India, organized a Breakout session on Sub-theme of “Integrated
Development of Reservoirs and Amrit Sarovars for fisheries & Strengthening of Coastal fisheriesvalue chain” in Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi under the Chairmanship of Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Union
Secretary, Department of Fisheries.
Dr Abhilaksh Likhi, Union Secretary, Department of Fisheries, Gol in his address during the breakout
session highlighted the integrated approach i.e. promotion of Cage and pen culture supported by modern
technology; wider adoption of geospatial tools for scientific planning; diversification of species;
reservoir-specific management frameworks; cluster-based organisation of production systems; ensuring
backward-forward linkages, and deeper community participation including FFPOs, SHGs, Startups,
Fisheries cooperatives etc.
Shri Sagar Mehra, Joint Secretary welcomed the stakeholders who joined and delivered a presentation
on “Integrated Development of Reservoirs and Amrit Sarovars for Fisheries & Strengthening Coastal
Fisheries Value Chain”. He highlighted that India's reservoirs are the largest inland water resource
globally, and play a vital role in enhancing fish production, nutritional security, and employment
generation. Shri Mehra, Joint Secretary presented the Implementation plan with clear timelines, and
Plan of action. The expected outcomes are increased production, community engagement with FFPOs,
cooperatives, SHGs, Startups and generation of one lakh livelihood opportunities, positioning fisheries as
a key driver of rural prosperity.
The session witnessed participation of diverse Panellists including Shri Dipankar Mandal (Mandal Manit
Aqua Genetics, Chhattisgarh), Dr. Gouri Shankar Rath (Falcon Feed, Odisha), Shri Benugopal Panigrahi
(Sreyasri Integrated Farming, Odisha), Ms. Snehal Verma (Nature Dots), Smt. Paulina Kisku (women-led
SHG, Jharkhand), Shri Suvo Sircar (Fishmongers), Shri Vijay Pal (Uttar Pradesh), Shri Chandrasen Iswar
Rao Patil (Cooperative Leader, Maharashtra), Mr. Ganesh Nakhawa (BLUCATCH, Mumbai), Shri Harsh
Agarwal (Das & Kumar) and Ms. Kadambari Durga (My Bharat). Field-level insights were further
contributed by Ms. Sangita Kaivart (Jharkhand), Mr. Nishant Kumar (Ranchi) and Shri Chandra Prakash
(Uttar Pradesh).
The session generated more than 60 recommendations across four key focus areas of fisheries value
chain including Pre-production, Production, Post-production and Technology adoption.
On Pre-production stage, Establishment of stock improvement/genetic improvement programme to
produce quality Broodstock and Seed, Promotion of regional brood stock banks, hatchery clusters, satellite
nurseries & reservoir-based seed-rearing, Standardization of fingerling quality and stocking norms using
certified seed of prescribed size, and prioritisation of genetically improved species and ensure high-quality
seed with proper nursery rearing was recommended. For the Production stage, scaling up of cage and
pen culture using strong HDPE cages; adoption of automated feeding systems to boost growth,
strengthening on-farm water quality monitoring, stocking density, oxygen levels & stress indicators and
enabling women led SHGs, FFPOs and cooperatives to participate more effectively was recommended.
For the post-production, strengthening cold chain and landing site infrastructure, ensuring quality and
branding through FSSAI-aligned testing and verified standards, expanding market access through direct
linkages with urban buyers & organised e-platforms/quick commerce, and establishment of value-addition
units, traceability and establishment of chain of fish kiosks was recommended. On Technology adoption
aspect, traceability, real time water quality monitoring, leveraging AI, IoT and geospatial tools for higher
productivity and climate-resilient operations, digitised harvest and logistics systems to promote efficiency
and on boarding of fisheries startups and their innovations in the integrated development of reservoirs and
Amrit Sarovars was recommended.
The deliberations are expected to significantly accelerate the integrated development of reservoirs and
Amrit Sarovars, strengthen scientific practices such as stocking, cage and pen culture, seed production
and community-based aquaculture models, and guide measures to enhance coastal fisheries value chainsthrough improved aggregation, cold-chain access, processing and traceability. These insights will support
the Department of Fisheries in finalising implementation frameworks, timelines and monitoring
mechanisms for inclusive and sustainable sectoral development.
The Post-Budget webinar witnessed the participation of more than 15000 participants including Officials
from all States/UTs, NITI Aayog, RBI, NAFED, MoRD, NCDC, MPEDA, EIC, ICAR Fisheries Institutes,
Subordinate Offices of DoF viz. FSI, CIFNET, NIFPHATT, and CICEF; FFPOs, Industry Associations,
Fisheries Cooperatives, Startups, Exporters, Fisheries Associations, Fisheries Colleges and Universities,
KVKs, SFAC, and other stakeholders across the fisheries value chain.
Background
India’s aquatic ecosystems include 32 lakh ha of reservoirs, 12 lakh ha of brackishwater, over 68,000
Amrit Sarovars, and 11,099 km of coastline, providing substantial opportunities for fisheries expansion.
India is the second-largest fish-producing nation, with production reaching 197.75 lakh tonnes (2024–
25) and contributing 1.1% to the national economy. The Department of Fisheries continues to support the
sector through PMMSY, FIDF, PM-MKSSY, KCC and convergence with Mission Amrit Sarovar.
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JP.
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