Department of Fisheries hosts Fisheries Summer Meet 2024 in Madurai

New Delhi: India held the Fisheries Summer Meet 2024, organized by the Department of Fisheries (DoF), Government of India, on July 12 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. This event brought together fish farmers, researchers, industry experts, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to share experiences and explore future prospects for the sustainable development of fisheries.

The fisheries and aquaculture sector offers significant promise, providing livelihoods and employment to approximately 3 crore fishers and fish farmers at the primary level, with many more employed throughout the fisheries value chain. India ranks as the second-largest fish producer in the world, holding about 8% of global fish production. Additionally, India is second in global aquaculture production, a leading shrimp producer and exporter, and the third-largest capture fisheries producer.

The Government of India made unprecedented investments in this sector, totaling Rs 38,572 crore. This included the Blue Revolution Scheme (Rs 5,000 crore), the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF, Rs 7,522 crore), and the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY, Rs 20,050 crore). Additionally, a sub-scheme under PMMSY, the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Samridhi Sah Yojana (PM-MKSSY), was approved in February 2024 with an investment of Rs 6,000 crore.

The Fisheries Summer Meet 2024 featured consultations with States and Union Territories (UTs), showcasing contributions from fish farmers and entrepreneurs, and raising awareness about various DoF initiatives. The event was led by Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, with Ministers of State for Fisheries Prof. S.P Singh Baghel and George Kurian, and Tamil Nadu’s Minister of Fisheries Anitha R. Radhakrishnan in attendance. State Fisheries ministers from various states and other key delegates also participated.

Key highlights of the event included a fisheries exhibition, discussions by State/UT ministers, the virtual inauguration of Fisheries Projects, and interactions with fishermen and fisherwomen. There was also the distribution of Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) to beneficiaries, the presentation of PMMSY achievement awards, and the felicitation of Fish Farmer Producer Organizations (FFPOs) onboarded with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).

The Fisheries Summer Meet 2024 aimed to foster collaboration among States and UTs to share progress, address challenges, and outline future strategies. In relation to this, the JS (IF) planned to address the gathering to highlight the various schemes and programs of the DoF, detailing their progress and successes. The DDG (FS) from ICAR was set to discuss ICAR’s initiatives in fisheries, while leaders from various States and UTs would share their progress, challenges, and upcoming plans. The conclusions from the Fisheries Summer Meet 2024 are expected to establish key priority areas for both the DoF (GoI) and the fisheries departments of the States and UTs, providing direction for future growth initiatives.