According to data released by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Tamil Nadu has surpassed Gujarat to become India’s largest marine fish producer in 2025. Tamil Nadu produced 6.85 lakh tonnes — up 1% — while Gujarat declined 15% to 6.43 lakh tonnes. India’s total marine fish production reached 35.7 lakh tonnes (up 3% from 34.6 lakh tonnes), with a retail market value of Rs 97,702 crore.
State-wise Marine Fish Production (2025)
State
Production (lakh tonnes)
Change vs 2024
Rank
Tamil Nadu
6.85
+1%
1st
Gujarat
6.43
–15%
2nd
Andhra Pradesh
~5.2
Stable
3rd
Kerala
~5.0
Stable
4th
Maharashtra
~3.5
Improving
5th
Karnataka
~1.8
Stable
6th
(State-wise figures for AP, Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka are approximate based on historical CMFRI data; Tamil Nadu and Gujarat figures are confirmed 2025 data)
Key Statistics — India Marine Fisheries 2025
Indicator
Value
Total marine fish production
35.7 lakh tonnes
Growth rate
+3% (from 34.6 lakh tonnes in 2024)
Retail market value
Rs 97,702 crore
Top state
Tamil Nadu (6.85 lakh tonnes)
Top species
Indian mackerel — 0.27 million tonnes
India’s rank globally
~3rd largest fish producing nation (after China, Peru/Indonesia)
Why Gujarat Declined 15%
Gujarat’s marine fish catch fell significantly in 2025 due to:
Extended ban period — Gujarat follows longer fishing ban periods in the Arabian Sea
Cyclone impacts — Disruption to fishing activity in the Arabian Sea
Overfishing pressure — Some species stocks under stress in Gujarat’s traditional fishing grounds
Fleet migration — Some Gujarat vessels operating in other states’ Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ)
About CMFRI
Feature
Detail
Full name
Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute
Established
1947
Headquarters
Kochi, Kerala
Under
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Ministry of Agriculture
Mandate
Research on marine fisheries, aquaculture, biodiversity, marine ecosystems
Key publications
Marine Fish Landings (annual); Indian Fisheries and Aquaculture Status (biennial)
Notable records
Only agency with comprehensive marine fish landing data for all Indian coastal states
India’s Fisheries Sector — Overview
Indicator
Value
Total fish production (marine + inland)
~175 lakh tonnes (2024–25 approx.)
Inland vs marine split
~60:40 (inland aquaculture dominates)
Fisheries’ share in GDP
~1.1%
Share in agricultural GDP
~6.5%
Exports (fish & fish products)
Rs 60,523 crore (2023–24)
Top export destination
USA, China, Southeast Asia
Top export species
Frozen shrimp (vannamei)
Fishermen population
~28 million (direct livelihood)
Key Schemes
Scheme
Focus
Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)
Doubling fish production; 2020–25; Rs 20,050 crore
Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF)
Fisheries infrastructure; Rs 7,522 crore corpus
Kisan Credit Card for fisheries
Working capital credit for fishermen
Blue Economy Policy
Overall maritime economy development
India’s Coastline and Marine Resources
Feature
Data
Coastline length
7,516.6 km (mainland)
Total coastline (with islands)
~11,100 km
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
2.02 million sq km
Continental shelf
~0.56 million sq km
Coastal states/UTs
9 states + 4 UTs
Major fishing harbours
Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Kochi, Mumbai, Mormugao
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): The area extending 200 nautical miles from a country’s baseline over which it has sovereign rights for exploration and exploitation of marine resources. India’s EEZ is one of the largest in the world.
UPSC Relevance
Paper
Angle
GS3 — Economy
Fisheries sector, Blue Economy, PMMSY, aquaculture
Mains Keywords: CMFRI, marine fish production, Tamil Nadu top fish producer, Indian mackerel, PMMSY (Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana), Blue Economy, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), ICAR, inland vs marine fisheries, fish exports India
This content was researched and written in collaboration with Claude AI (Anthropic). Key facts are verified against web sources before publishing — but errors can occasionally slip through. If you spot something incorrect, our team wants to fix it immediately.
