The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India is taking several steps towards conservation and sustainable development of fish resources such as implementation of artificial reefs, sea-ranching and river-ranching, fingerling stockings in reservoirs etc. under the “Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)”. Besides, measures are also taken such as implementation of uniform season fishing ban for 61 days during monsoon and fish breeding periods in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), ban on pair or bull trawling and use of LED or artificial light in fishing, advisories to States/UTs for preventing juvenile fishing, strict implementation of gear-mesh size regulations under Marine Fishing Regulation Acts (MFRAs), etc. for sustainable and responsible fishing practices. These steps have resulted in increase in the overall fish production in the country over the years which has resulted in highest ever fish production of 162.48 lakh tones during 2021-22, which includes increment of fish production in marine sector from 37.27 lakh tones (2019-20) to 41.27 lakh tones (2021-22) and in inland sector form 104.37 lakh tones (2019-20) to 121.21 lakh tones (2021-22). As such, no report regarding damage caused to fish reserves due to natural calamities has been received in the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India.

This information was given by Shri Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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SS/IG