India is the third-largest fish and aquaculture-producing country. It accounts for 7.96% of the total global fish production. The industry employs more than 28 million people in India.
The marine resources of India constitute a coastline of 8,118 km, an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 2 million sq. km, and a continental shelf area of 0.53 sq. km. The inland resources include 0.27 million km of rivers and canals, 2.36 million hectares of ponds and tanks, 3.54 million hectares of reservoirs, and 1.2 million hectares of floodplain lakes.
The national fish production for the year 2022-23 had been expected to touch or exceed 174 lakh tonnes (provisional figures), an 81% increase when compared to 2013-14.
In 2021-22, India's total marine and inland fish production stood at 16.24 million metric tonnes (MMT), which includes 12.12 MMT and 4.12 MMT from the inland and marine sectors, respectively. The fisheries sector plays a crucial role in the national economy and is one of the key contributors to the country's foreign exchange earnings. In 2020-21, 66% of the Marine Fisheries and 51% of the Inland Fisheries potential were harnessed. The overall production of marine products in India has been growing consistently for the last ten years. Total fish production grew from 8.66 MMT in 2011-12 to 16.24 MMT in 2021-22.
India mainly has eight major fish-producing states: Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Andhra Pradesh is the largest producer of marine products with 2021-22 production at 4.8 million MT.