Agatti (Lakshadweep) | Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Monday stressed the need for sustainable fishing and said the Blue Revolution could bring significant economic development while benefiting fishing communities.
Speaking at a Fisheries Outreach Programme organised by the Union Fisheries Ministry at Agatti, Radhakrishnan said the sea had nourished humanity for thousands of years and it was the responsibility of people to preserve it for generations to come.
"Sustainable fishing is a moral responsibility, and the new guidelines of our ministry are a positive step in that direction. It strongly emphasises compliance with conservation measures and firm stand against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing," he said.
He said the government was taking schemes and support directly to fishing communities and urged them to follow regulations to enable the government to provide better services.
Radhakrishnan said India's goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047 could not be achieved unless every sector contributed to the effort.
"Our farmers need to strengthen our food security. Our scientists expand the frontiers of knowledge. Our entrepreneurs have to create wealth. And our fishing communities power India's blue economy," he said.
He urged young people to view fisheries not merely as an inherited occupation but as a modern profession driven by science, technology, innovation and global opportunities.
"I urge our institutions to continue supporting our fishing community with knowledge, technology, and finance," he said.
Radhakrishnan, who was on his first official visit to Lakshadweep, described the Union Territory as a "jewel of our nation" and said it had enormous potential for the blue economy.
"This Blue Revolution is going to make a big economic change, economic development in Lakshadweep's history," he said.
He noted that Lakshadweep accounted for nearly one-sixth of India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Radhakrishnan said the government was now reaching out to fishing communities with various schemes instead of people having to approach authorities for support.
He said the Blue Revolution would be another major milestone in India's development after the Green Revolution and White Revolution.
"Bharat is now the second largest fish-producing country in the world, contributing around 8 per cent of the global fish production," he said.
The fisheries sector supports the livelihoods of nearly three crore fishermen and fish farmers and contributes significantly to food security and nutrition, he said, adding that fish production had reached 195 lakh tonnes.
Radhakrishnan said the Union Budget 2025-26 had recognised the potential for sustainable fishing in the EEZ and high seas and announced an enabling framework for harnessing these resources.
He said the framework gave priority to fisheries cooperatives, Fish Farmer Producer Organisations and Indian fishermen for obtaining letters of authorisation.
Indian seafood currently reaches more than 120 countries and exports exceeded Rs 73,000 crore during the last financial year, he said.
He said Lakshadweep's fisheries potential was estimated at more than one lakh tonnes, including around 94,000 tonnes of tuna and tuna-like species, which have strong demand in Japan and other export markets.
"The objective must be to harness this potential scientifically, sustainably, and for the benefit of the island communities," he said.
Digital authorisation systems, vessel tracking, international certification and other measures would help Indian seafood gain greater acceptance in premium global export markets, he said.
Radhakrishnan said fisheries development projects with a total outlay of more than Rs 62 crore had been approved for Lakshadweep under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana.
Union Fisheries Minister Rajeev Ranjan Singh said the fisheries sector had received greater attention since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014 and several programmes had been launched to improve the livelihoods of fishing communities.
He said the Blue Revolution was launched in 2014, followed by initiatives such as the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), PMMSY, and the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY) Singh said fish production had increased from 95.7 lakh tonnes in 2013-14 to 197.75 lakh tonnes in 2024-25, representing a 105 per cent increase.
Fish exports had also risen from Rs 30,213 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 62,408 crore in 2024-25, he said.
Referring to the US tariff rise challenges faced by Indian fisheries exports, Singh said fish exports increased by nearly Rs 11,400 crore in 2025-26 to reach Rs 73,890 crore.
He said that Lakshadweep has an abundance of tuna and other high-value fish.
What is needed is to harvest and catch them efficiently.
"The faster and more effectively we harvest, the higher the income will be for our fishermen, cooperative societies, and women's self-help groups," he said.
Singh said guidelines had been issued for fishing in India's EEZ and the high seas and access passes had been introduced to facilitate EEZ fishing.
Singh also highlighted the potential for ornamental fish in Lakshadweep.
"Over 300 varieties of ornamental fish are found in Lakshadweep's waters. Given the high global demand for ornamental fish, capturing and exporting these species should also be actively promoted," he said.
Minister of State for Fisheries S P Singh Baghel and Lakshadweep Administrator Praful K Patel also spoke on the occasion.
