India's fisheries sector has quietly boomed. Total fish production more than doubled — from about 96 lakh tonnes in 2013-14 to roughly 198 lakh tonnes in 2024-25 — making India the world's second-largest fish producer and the leader in shrimp exports. Most of the growth came from inland aquaculture, which expanded well over 100%, supported by the ₹20,050 crore Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (2020).
Fisheries & Blue Economy
Fisheries & Blue Economy
Fisheries are a fast-growing part of India's rural economy and a pillar of the 'blue economy'. Total fish production more than doubled — from about 96 lakh tonnes in 2013-14 to roughly 198 lakh tonnes in 2024-25 — driven mainly by inland aquaculture and backed by the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (2020). India is now the world's second-largest fish producer. The counter shows total fish production.
96 → 198 lakh t
Fish production
2nd
Largest producer globally
~₹62,000 cr
Seafood exports
Fish production
| Year | Fish production |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 96 lakh t |
| 2015 | 104 lakh t |
| 2016 | 114 lakh t |
| 2017 | 126 lakh t |
| 2018 | 137 lakh t |
| 2019 | 142 lakh t |
| 2020 | 147 lakh t |
| 2021 | 162 lakh t |
| 2022 | 175 lakh t |
| 2023 | 184 lakh t |
| 2024 | 190 lakh t |
| 2025 | 198 lakh t |
2014
0lakh t
Fish production
20142025
Since 2014
Added
+102 lakh t
2014
96 lakh t
2025
198 lakh t
Why it matters Fisheries provide protein, livelihoods for coastal and inland communities, and valuable exports — a growing part of food and income security.
- Fish production: ~96 lakh t (2014) → ~198 lakh t (2025), +106%
- 2nd-largest producer; seafood exports ~₹62,000 crore; PMMSY
- Source: Department of Fisheries
History
Notable initiatives
PMMSY and the earlier Blue Revolution funded cold storages, ice plants, fishing harbours, hatcheries and fish-transport units nationwide. Newer schemes add aquaculture insurance and formalisation (PM-MKSSY), integrated aquaparks, and rules to sustainably harness the deep-sea Exclusive Economic Zone. Seafood exports reached about ₹62,000 crore, with shrimp the top earner.
How it works
India's fish comes from two sources: marine fishing along its long coastline, and fast-growing inland aquaculture — farming fish and shrimp in ponds and reservoirs, now the bigger contributor. The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana funds the whole chain: hatcheries, cages, cold storage, fishing harbours and vessels. Aquaculture (especially shrimp) drives a large seafood export business, while millions of small coastal and inland fishers depend on the sector for a living.
Outlook
Fish production has climbed to about 195 lakh tonnes and grown strongly since PMMSY launched, led by inland aquaculture, with seafood exports worth over ₹60,000 crore — India is the world's second-largest fish producer. The next step is growing sustainably: keeping marine stocks healthy, protecting shrimp exports from disease and tariff swings, modernising fishing harbours, and steadying incomes for the roughly 30 million people the sector supports.
The road ahead
The next step is growing sustainably — keeping marine stocks healthy, protecting shrimp exports from disease and tariff swings, and steadying fisher incomes as the sector expands.
By the numbers
~96 → ~198 lakh tonnes fish production (2014→2025, +106%). 2nd-largest producer; top shrimp exporter. Seafood exports ~₹62,000 crore. PMMSY ₹20,050 crore. Sources: Department of Fisheries, MPEDA.
Source: Department of Fisheries — total fish production (lakh tonnes), 2014–2025.