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The Ministry set out the decade's fisheries record and the place of controlled-environment aquaculture in it: 9,467 Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems and 4,573 biofloc units approved under PMMSY.
Fish production more than doubled from 95.79 lakh tonnes in 2013-14 to a record 198 lakh tonnes in 2024-25, with inland fisheries and aquaculture up 147% over the period.
Seafood exports rose from Rs 30,213 crore in 2013-14 to a record Rs 73,890 crore in 2025-26.
Cumulative investment approved or announced in the sector since 2015 exceeds Rs 39,272 crore, of which Rs 4,120 crore under PMMSY went into these technology systems.
RAS is the engineering answer: water is treated and recirculated through filtration units so fish grow in controlled tank conditions. Biofloc is the biological answer: beneficial microorganisms are cultivated in the tank to convert waste, cleaning the water and supplementing feed.
Simple Analogy: RAS plumbs the pond; biofloc lets microbes clean it from within.
Holistic development of fisheries and aquaculture, from production and productivity to post-harvest infrastructure, marketing and fisher welfare.
Key: Launched on 10 September 2020 by the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, with an estimated investment of Rs 20,050 crore, initially over FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25 in all States and UTs. It funds the RAS and biofloc units reported here.
Formalise the fisheries sector and support fisheries micro and small enterprises.
Key: A central sector sub-scheme under PMMSY approved by the Cabinet on 8 February 2024, outlay about Rs 6,000 crore over FY 2023-24 to FY 2026-27, half public finance including World Bank and AFD funding and half expected beneficiary or private investment. Its National Fisheries Digital Platform builds digital identities for fisheries stakeholders.
Concessional credit for fisheries infrastructure such as harbours, landing centres, hatcheries and cold chains.
Key: Created in 2018-19 with a fund size of Rs 7,522.48 crore, lent through NABARD, NCDC and scheduled banks, with interest subvention of up to 3% a year and repayment over 12 years including a two-year moratorium. Its term was extended by the Cabinet in 2024.
Integrated development and management of fisheries; PMMSY's predecessor.
Key: A restructured central sector scheme launched in December 2015 that merged the earlier fisheries schemes, funding 50% of project cost for general States and 80% for North-Eastern and Himalayan States. It was subsumed when PMMSY began in 2020.
Nodal department for PMMSY, PM-MKSSY and FIDF, and the source of this assessment of the sector.
Autonomous body coordinating fisheries development - intensive aquaculture in ponds and tanks, harbour and landing centre modernisation, deep-sea fishing, coastal aquaculture and capacity building.
A nodal loaning entity for FIDF, alongside NCDC and scheduled banks.
GS Paper 3 > Economy > Fisheries and Allied Sectors
General Awareness > Government Schemes
A tank-based system that treats and recirculates 90-95% of its water, allowing intensive year-round fish farming away from natural water bodies.
Aquaculture that cultivates beneficial microbial aggregates in the tank to convert waste, improving water quality and supplementing feed.
Sustainable use of ocean and aquatic resources for growth, livelihoods and jobs while preserving ecosystem health.