The agriculture ministry has announced India is second largest fish producer in the world.
Overall fish production has increased from 0.75 million tonne of 1950-51 to 11.41 million tonne in 2016-17.
Besides, this sector provides employment and livelihood support to more than 15 million people of in the country.
The announcement was at the Aqua Goa Mega Fish Festival, 2017, organized at SAG Campal Ground, Panaji, Goa.
Fisheries is a fast growing sector in India, which provides nutrition and food security to a large population of the country as well as providing income and employment to fishermen and fish farmers.
Fisheries development in India is not only meeting the protein requirements of the country, but it is also making significant contribution of about 6.2 percent in the fish production of the world.
Blue Revolution in India- Government has merged all the schemes of fisheries sector into an umbrella scheme of Blue Revolution: Integrated Development and Management of Fisheries and approved with the outlay of Rs. 3000 crores.
- Blue Revolution is focusing to foster use of new and modern technology, training and capacity building of fishers and fish farmers, adoption of scientific advises & methods, species diversification and proper fish health management etc.
- The main aim of Government is to double the income of fishers and fish-farmers by 2022 through implementation of Blue Revolution"
- Mariculture has been taken up under Blue Revolution to further enhance production from marine sector. Coastal States are provided with financial and technical support including training and capacity building.
- Government of India has taken an important step on 9th March, 2017 by adding a new component under the Blue Revolution to promote tradition fishers in the Deep Sea Fishing.
- Under the said component, the Government of India is providing 50% financial assistance i.e., upto Rs.40 lakh to the traditional fishers, their Self Help Groups, Societies and Organizations in acquisition of deep sea fishing vessels equipped with modern technology, which costs approximately, Rs.80 lakh per vessel.
