The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (MoFAH&D), Government of India, celebrated National Fish Farmers Day 2025 on July 10 at ICAR–Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA), Bhubaneswar, Odisha. 

Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh launched 17 new fisheries clusters under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), doubling the number of clusters in the country to 34. He also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 70 projects with an outlay of Rs 105 crore, covering 11 states. These efforts aim to enhance productivity, sustainability, and income for fishers.

The Minister also unveiled key initiatives, including the release of the ICAR Training Calendar and guidelines for seed certification and hatchery operations, to promote quality, standardization, and capacity building. Beneficiaries such as traditional fishers, cooperatives/FFPOs, KCC cardholders, and fisheries start-ups were felicitated. Singh commended the sector’s achievements, noting that India is the second-largest fish producer globally, with inland fisheries contributing 75 percent of total production. The government has invested Rs 38,572 crore under various schemes to support over 3 crore fishers and farmers.