India’s Fisheries Sector Booms with PMMSY’s 5-Year Milestone
India’s fisheries industry has made huge strides thanks to the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). Launched on September 10, 2020, this key government scheme marked its fifth anniversary on Tuesday, sparking the much-talked-about "Blue Revolution." Today, India stands as the world’s second-largest fish producer, and the numbers tell an exciting story of growth in fish production, exports, and jobs.
Fish production in India has skyrocketed under PMMSY. Back in 2019-20, the country produced 141.64 lakh tonnes of fish. Fast forward to 2024-25, and that figure jumped to a record 195 lakh tonnes. This boost means India now contributes nearly 8% to global fish production. Aquaculture productivity has also risen sharply—from an average of 3 tonnes per hectare to 4.7 tonnes by February 2025. These gains highlight how PMMSY addresses gaps in production, technology, and infrastructure, making the sector more efficient and sustainable.
Exports paint an even brighter picture for India’s seafood market. In 2019-20, fisheries exports brought in Rs 46,662.85 crore. By 2023-24, this grew to Rs 60,524.89 crore, cementing India’s strong spot in the global trade. Fishermen and businesses now reach international buyers more easily, boosting the economy and livelihoods across coastal areas.
One of the biggest wins from PMMSY? Jobs and empowerment. The scheme has created 58 lakh employment opportunities by December 2024, beating its target of 55 lakh. Women in fisheries have benefited hugely too. From 2020-21 to 2024-25, the government sanctioned Rs 4,061.96 crore for projects involving 99,018 women. Under PMMSY’s beneficiary schemes and Entrepreneur Model, women get up to 60% financial aid (up to Rs 1.5 crore per project). States have rolled out training, awareness drives, and capacity-building programs to support them, promoting women’s participation in this vital sector.
PMMSY focuses on building an eco-friendly, profitable, and inclusive fisheries sector. It tackles challenges like climate change by identifying 100 coastal fishermen villages as Climate Resilient Coastal Fishermen Villages (CRCFV). These efforts aim to make communities tougher against weather risks while sparking economic growth. Tech upgrades are a big part of this—over 52,000 reservoir cages, 22,000 Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems (RAS), Biofloc units, and raceways, plus 1,525 sea cages have been approved. All this comes with a Rs 3,040.87 crore investment, scaling up modern fish farming techniques.
To cut post-harvest losses and strengthen supply chains, PMMSY has poured resources into infrastructure. Highlights include Rs 3,281.31 crore for 58 fishing harbours and landing centres. There’s also Rs 1,568.11 crore allocated for 734 ice plants and cold storages, 21 modern wholesale fish markets (including 3 smart ones), 192 fish retail markets, 6,410 fish kiosks, 134 value-added units, 27,297 transport units for fish, and even 5 digital e-platforms for online fish trade. These steps ensure fresh fish reaches markets faster, reducing waste and increasing profits.
Finally, PMMSY supports community-driven growth through 2,195 fisheries cooperatives turned into Fish Farmers Producer Organisations (FFPOs). With Rs 544.85 crore in funding, these groups improve market access, bargaining power, and sustainable practices, leading to better incomes for small-scale farmers.
As PMMSY enters its next phase, it promises even more progress for India’s Blue Revolution, benefiting millions in the fisheries sector.
