World Fisheries Day being celebrated today

World Fisheries Day is being celebrated today. The day is observed every year on 21st of November to demonstrate solidarity with all fisher-folk communities, fish farmers and concerned stakeholders throughout the world.

 

The Department of Fisheries in the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying is celebrating the day at NASC Complex in New Delhi. According to the Ministry, during the event, for the first time, the Central Government will award best performing States in the Fisheries Sector for 2019-20.

 

On 10th of September this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the “Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana” (PMMSY) at an estimated investment of 20 thousand 50 crore rupees for a period of five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25. The



scheme aims to achieve fish production to 22 million metric tonnes by 2024-25 and also to create an additional employment opportunity to about 55 lakh people.

 

The Government of India is at the forefront in transforming the sector and to usher in economic revolution through Blue Revolution in the country. India is a leading fish producing country and the second major producer of fish through aquaculture in the world.

 

Fisheries sector in India provides direct employment to about 28 million fishers and fish farmers besides meeting the food and nutritional security and foreign exchange earnings. India contributes about 7.7 per cent to the global fish production and it ranks 4th in global exports of fish products.