Initiatives for Fisheries Sector on World Fisheries Day

On 21st November 2024, on World Fisheries Day, the Centre launched key initiatives aimed at transforming India’s fisheries sector and boosting the blue economy.

The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying launched the fifth ‘Marine Fisheries Census 2025’, which will be fully digital, speeding up the process by 80% through the use of mobile apps and virtual servers.
The census will cover 1.2 million households along India’s coastline, collecting data on socio-economic status, household sizes, and fisherfolk engagement, and is set to be completed within 45 days.
The Centre also introduced the ‘National Plan of Action on Sharks’ for sustainable shark management, which aims to improve data collection, species identification, and habitat mapping to aid conservation efforts.
India endorsed the Regional Plan of Action on IUU Fishing, focusing on cooperation with Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the Maldives to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in the Bay of Bengal.
Other significant initiatives launched include the GloLitter Partnership Project to combat marine plastic pollution, energy-efficient LPG kits for marine fishing, and a new Single Window System for coastal aquaculture farm registration.