Evaluate the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana and India’s emerging blue economy strategy under the Sagarmala framework.

Introduction:

India is the world's second-largest fish producer at 16.25 million tonnes in FY23 (DAHD); the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) commits ₹20,050 crore over 2020-25, targeting fish output of 22 MT by FY25, while the Draft Blue Economy Policy under MoES (2022) frames marine fisheries within a multi-sector ocean strategy aligned with SDG-14.

PMMSY achievements:

PMMSY has rolled out sea-cage culture, modern fishing harbours, ice-plants, and aquaculture insurance. The sub-component PM-MKSSY (₹6,000 crore, 2024) formalises 40 lakh fish workers via Aadhaar-linked Fisheries IDs and credit access. Andhra Pradesh leads shrimp exports; Kerala has pioneered Fish Farmer Producer Organisations; Sagar Mitra extension workers anchor coastal villages.

Blue economy pillars:

The Draft Blue Economy Policy identifies seven verticals — marine fisheries, deep-sea mining, port-led growth via Sagarmala, coastal tourism, marine renewable energy, marine biotechnology, and maritime services. The Deep Ocean Mission under MoES (₹4,077 crore) targets seabed mineral exploration; the Sagar Parikrama yatra integrates coastal community feedback into policy.

Constraints:

Overfishing in nearshore zones, IUU fishing, climate-driven shifts in fish migration, and weak post-harvest cold chains depress export quality. The Marine Fisheries Bill remains pending, weakening federal coordination on EEZ regulation, and livelihood vulnerability among traditional fishers persists.

Way forward / Conclusion:

Pass the Marine Fisheries Bill, scale Fish FPOs analogous to agri-FPOs, launch PMMSY-II post-FY25 under DoF with climate-adaptation modules, and integrate Deep Ocean Mission with Sagar Mitra extension by 2030.