New Delhi: The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) launched by the Ministry of Fisheries has gone a long way in creating robust fisheries management. The initiative is proving to a boon for fishermen across the country.

The fisheries sector has been recognized as a powerful income and employment generator as it stimulates growth of a number of subsidiary industries and is a source of cheap and nutritious food, at the same time it is an instrument of livelihood for a large section of economically backward population of the country.

Fisheries is a fast-growing sector in India, which provides nutrition and food security to a large population of the country besides providing income and employment to more than 28 million people.

Fisheries has potential to double fish farmers’ income by 2022

India is the second largest fish producing country in the world accounting for 7.56% of global production and contributing about 1.24% to the country’s Gross Value Added (GVA) and over 7.28% to the agricultural GVA.

The sector provides livelihood support to about 280 lakh people at the primary level and almost twice the number along the value chain and the annual average growth rate in the Fisheries sector has been 7% over the last few years.

The sector has immense potential to double the fish farmers’ income by 2022, as envisioned by the Government of India.

Initiatives launched under PMMSY

INLAND FISHERIES
a. 4,171 hectares of pond area approved under inland aquaculture.
b. 757 Biofloc units and 1242 Nos of Re-circulatory Aquaculture Systems (RAS) have been sanctioned (which has already surpassed the total RAS units sanctioned during CSS: Blue Revolution, 522 Nos).
c. 3,763 Nos of cages and 72.7 hectares pens in reservoirs and other water-bodies approved.
d. 109 Nos of fish/prawn hatcheries approved.
e. 373 hectares of pond area approved under Saline-alkaline culture.
f. 6 Nos Brood-bank facilities approved.

MARINE FISHERIES
a. 122 deep sea fishing vessel.
b. 217 up gradation of existing fishing vessels.
c. 2,755, Bio-toilets constructed in mechanized fishing vessels.
d. 656 nos of sea cage for fish culture.
e. 2, Small Marine finfish hatcheries.)
f. 471 hectares of pond area brought under brackishwater aquaculture, 6 nos of brackishwater hatcheries.

FISHERMEN WELFARE
a. 1820 Nos replacement boats and nets for fishermen. (Table A-III a)
b. Livelihood and nutritional support for 1,22,551, fishers’ families for conservation of fisheries resources during fishing ban/lean period.
c. 20 nos Extension and support services.
d.

FISHERIES INFRASTRUCTURE
a. 70 Nos. ice plant/cold storages sanctioned.
b. 127 Nos fish feed mill/plants.
c. 6,288 units of fish transportation facilities viz., refrigerated (58) and insulated trucks (187), auto rickshaws (986), motor cycles (3036) and bicycles with ice box (1831) have been sanctioned. (50% of CSS: BR)
d. 606 units of fish retail markets (43) and fish kiosks including ornamental kiosks (563).
e. 41 value added enterprise units have been sanctioned so far.

KCC to Animal Husbandry farmers and Fisheries

More than 40,000 Kisan credit Cards have also been issued to fishers and fish farmers to help them find easy access to capital. As on date, a total of 44,935 KCCs have been issued to fishers and fish farmers. In addition, about 3.80 lakh applications from fishers and fish farmers are with the Banks at various stages for issuance of KCCs

Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund

Govt in Budget 2018 had set aside Rs. 7,550crore for setting up of a dedicated Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF). The fund has the potential to benefit over 4 million marine and inland fishers especially women, SHGs, weaker sections, due to availability of modern infrastructure and added value of produce.

The infrastructure facilities to be funded under the FIDF will broadly cover development of fishing harbours/ fish landing centres, fish seed farms, fish feed mills/plants, cage culture in reservoirs, mariculture activities, introduction of deep sea fishing vessels, setting up of disease diagnostic and aquatic quarantine facilities, creation of cold chain infrastructure facilities such as ice plants, cold storage, fish transport facilities, fish processing units, fish markets etc.

FIDF is expected to generate both direct and indirect employment opportunities to around 9.40 lakh persons in fishing and allied activities.