India

India Targets Island Fisheries for Blue Economy Growth with Tuna, Seaweed and Ornamental Fish

By Sanjeev K Jha

India’s Ministry of Fisheries is positioning the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep as key hubs for high‑value marine fisheries as part of its Blue Economy strategy. The two territories, which together cover nearly 40% of India’s Exclusive Economic Zone, will receive a combined investment of ₹393 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) – ₹218 crore for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and ₹175 crore for Lakshadweep. The focus will be on tuna, seaweed cultivation and ornamental fish, with an emphasis on scientific exploitation rather than indiscriminate fishing. The plan includes modern fishing fleets, improved cold‑chain infrastructure, processing facilities and stronger export linkages to ensure local communities benefit across the entire value chain.

India’s coastline is about 11,099 km long and its EEZ covers roughly 2.4 million square kilometres, with an estimated marine fisheries potential of 5.86 million tonnes. The sector supports nearly five million fishers and contributes to food security, employment and export earnings, with seafood exports valued at around ₹73,890 crore in 2025‑26.

Tuna is the centerpiece of the island fisheries roadmap. The waters around both territories contain significant stocks of yellowfin, skipjack and bigeye tuna, offering opportunities to expand export‑oriented fishing. Lakshadweep has drafted a five‑year plan to double tuna production to 50,000 tonnes, involving deep‑sea and mother vessels and strengthening traditional pole‑and‑line practices. In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a dedicated tuna cluster under PMMSY aims to accelerate fleet modernisation, expand cold‑storage capacity and improve post‑harvest handling. The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) will play a role in facilitating direct exports and improving market access.

Officials highlighted that reducing post‑harvest losses and ensuring quality preservation are as important as increasing catch. Reliable cold chains, processing and logistics are essential for island fishers to realise the full value of their produce.

Beyond capture fisheries, Lakshadweep has been earmarked as a dedicated seaweed cluster, with plans for cultivation, seed banks, hatcheries and training facilities. Seaweed has applications in food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and other bio‑industries. Lakshadweep also hosts more than 300 reef‑associated ornamental species, making ornamental fisheries a potential growth area. The proposed approach involves regulated collection, medium‑scale rearing units and conservation‑based marketing.

Infrastructure development will include fish landing centres, ice plants, boat‑building facilities, fish aggregating devices, onboard preservation systems and value‑addition units to support expansion. Officials said the larger objective is to create island‑based fisheries value chains rather than leaving the territories as suppliers of raw marine produce.

The expansion will require careful ecological management, particularly given the vulnerability of coral reefs and lagoon ecosystems. The government’s challenge will be to balance higher production and export ambitions with marine conservation and the livelihoods of island communities.