The next big disruption: How India can build a climate-smart fisheries economy by 2030

India’s climate-smart fisheries pathway to 2030 is now being driven by very recent policy moves and budget-linked programmes. The focus has shifted to scaling modern systems (RAS, biofloc, digital platforms, seaweed, EEZ rules) with ring‑fenced funding and timelines under PMMSY, PM‑MKSSY and the 2025–26 Budget.²

The Union Budget 2025–26 proposed the highest ever annual allocation of ₹2,703.67 crore for the fisheries sector, explicitly to deepen modernisation and sustainability.² The same policy note confirms that PMMSY has been extended up to 2025–26, with projects worth ₹21,274.16 crore already approved for hatcheries, modern pond systems, cold chains, landing centres and digitalisation of value chains.²³ PM‑MKSSY, a Central Sector sub‑scheme (₹6,000 crore; 2023‑24 to 2026‑27), is designed to formalise the sector, universalise aquaculture insurance, and push technology adoption and quality systems across the value chain.²³

Technology priorities built into PMMSY / PM‑MKSSY

The latest PMMSY presentation and “5 years of PMMSY” note highlight a clear tilt toward climate‑smart, tech‑heavy infrastructure.²³

1. Biofloc and intensive aquaculture units: Biofloc‑based farms are funded as a distinct activity under PMMSY and showcased in the 5‑year compendium; new units are being financed up to 2025‑26 to reduce water use and increase productivity in both freshwater and brackish systems.²³
2. Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS): RAS construction is an eligible PMMSY component and features in state‑level project lists, especially for cold‑water and peri‑urban production.²³
3. Smart landing centres and harbours: The 2025 PIB brochure lists “smart technologies: online auctioning, AI tools, IoT systems, and port management software” as explicit features of new/modernised fishing harbours and landing sites sanctioned by July 2025.²³
4. Insurance and credit rails for tech adoption: PM‑MKSSY funds aquaculture insurance products and formal credit (via KCC and NBFC/bank linkages) for small producers to invest in RAS, biofloc and other intensive technologies.²³

National fisheries digital platform: Future‑facing digital core

The National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP) was launched in 2024 and is being scaled through 2026‑27 as PM‑MKSSY’s digital backbone.²⁴

●       By March 2025, it had registered more than 20 lakh fishers, farmers, and micro‑enterprises, providing a work‑based digital identity and unified interface for credit, insurance, subsidies and training.²⁴

●       Budget‑linked plans include integration of e‑auction modules, traceability, and satellite‑based advisories into this platform so that small‑scale fishers can access climate and price information in one place.²⁴

New regulatory architecture for the EEZ

Budget 2025–26 announced an “enabling framework for sustainable fisheries from the Indian EEZ and high seas”, with focus on Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep.²⁴²⁵

●       In November 2025, the government notified Rules for “Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the EEZ”, fulfilling this Budget pledge.²⁵

●       These Rules are linked to India’s Blue Economy strategy and aim to regulate deep‑sea and distant‑water fishing, allocate fishing opportunities, and embed monitoring and reporting requirements that can later plug into digital tracking and low‑carbon fleet policies.²⁵

This is important going forward because any shift to fuel‑efficient or hybrid vessels, mandatory VMS/AIS‑based tracking, or carbon‑linked subsidies can now be implemented within this EEZ framework.²⁵

Seaweed and coastal blue economy: Forward pipeline

On the seaweed side, the government’s future plan is framed by:

●       NITI Aayog’s “Strategy for the Development of Seaweed Value Chain” which identifies ~24,700 ha of suitable sites and calls for seed banks, farmer producer organisations, and integration with agri‑markets.²⁹

●       A 2024 PIB note on “Development of Seaweed in Coastal Areas” links this strategy to PMMSY/PM‑MKSSY funding and explicitly mentions support for nurseries, rafts, processing units and research on high‑value species.²⁵

ICAR‑CMFRI’s 2025 updates from Lakshadweep show that this is not legacy experimentation but a scaling trajectory: the administration, guided by CMFRI, is expanding commercial seaweed farms, mobilising SHGs, and positioning it as a climate‑resilient livelihood in line with the blue‑economy agenda.

Where India is headed by 2030

2025–26 will see the completion of the first phase of PMMSY, extended with a strong emphasis on intensive aquaculture systems such as RAS and biofloc, alongside the development of smart harbours, cold-chain capacity and wider digitalisation. During this period, PM-MKSSY will be operationalised across all states and Union Territories to support formalisation, insurance coverage and robust quality-assurance systems.

By 2026–27, PM-MKSSY will be fully rolled out, with the National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP) serving as a universal registry and service backbone. Traceability systems and e-auction networks will expand significantly, while aquaculture insurance is expected to reach far deeper coverage nationwide.

Looking ahead to 2030, India’s fisheries and aquaculture sector is poised for a structural shift. A growing share of production will come from intensive, climate-resilient systems—RAS, biofloc and tank-based farming—that optimise water use and reduce environmental impact. End-to-end digital value chains will connect harbours to export markets, powered by NFDP and state-level smart-harbour ecosystems. Deep-sea and EEZ fisheries will be more widely regulated in line with Blue Economy and climate-commitment goals, guided by the new EEZ rules and NITI Aayog’s emerging deep-sea strategy. Meanwhile, seaweed cultivation and other low-impact coastal enterprises are expected to scale through PMMSY/PM-MKSSY and state initiatives, supporting livelihoods while adding meaningful carbon-sequestration co-benefits.

References:

1⁽¹⁾ PIB, “Harnessing the Blue Economy: India’s Fisheries at a Glance,” 31 March 2025.
2⁽²⁾ PIB PDF, “Harnessing the Blue Economy: India’s Fisheries at a Glance – Budget for Fisheries Sector,” 2025.
3⁽³⁾ MDPI, “RAS‑Designed Diets Result in Lower Accumulation of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Zinc in Recirculating Aquaculture System,” 2024.
4⁽⁴⁾ MDPI, “Smart and Sustainable Aquaculture Farms,” 2021.
5⁽⁵¹⁾ NITI Aayog, “India’s Blue Economy: Strategy for Harnessing Deep‑Sea Resources,” policy document.
6⁽⁶⁾ Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, 2025
7⁽⁷⁾ VisionIAS, “Five years of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana,” 2025.
8⁽⁸⁾ PIB, “5 Years of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana,” 7 Feb 2024 / static.pib PDF.
9⁽⁹⁾Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, 31 Dec 2024.
10⁽¹⁰⁾ IBEF, “Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY),” 27 June 2023.
11⁽¹¹⁾ PIB, “Press Note Details – Extension of PMMSY and launch of PM‑MKSSY,” 7 Feb 2024.
12⁽¹²⁾ VisionIAS, “Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana | Current Affairs,” 3 Oct 2025.
13⁽¹³⁾ PIB PDF, “5 Years of PMMSY – Biofloc unit constructed under PMMSY Scheme,” 2024.
14⁽¹⁴⁾ CIBA, “Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture – Technology portfolio,” 2025.
15⁽¹⁵⁾ ICAR, “[PDF] Biofloc‑based shrimp farming technology,” 2024–25.
16⁽¹⁶⁾ ICAR, “Biofloc based Shrimp Nursery Technology demonstrated by ICAR,” 2024–25 updates.
17⁽¹⁷⁰⁾ ICAR, “ICAR‑CMFRI’s seaweed farming enterprise in Lakshadweep turns a huge success,” 3 Sept 2025.
18⁽¹⁸⁸⁾ ICAR‑CMFRI, “ICAR‑CMFRI guides Lakshadweep Administration to launch large‑scale seaweed farming,” 13 Nov 2025.
19⁽¹⁹⁾ NITI Aayog, “Strategy for the development of Seaweed Value Chain,” policy paper.
20⁽²⁵⁾ PIB, “Development of Seaweed in Coastal Areas,” 14 Feb 2024.
21⁽²¹⁾ PIB, “National Fisheries Digital Platform,” 10 Sept 2024.
22⁽²²⁾ Government Economic Times, “National Fisheries Digital Platform to Boost Aquaculture,” 18 March 2025.
23⁽²³⁾ Static.pib.gov.in, “5 Years of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana” PDF (includes tech and Budget 2025–26 linkages).
24⁽²⁴⁾ Budget 2025‑26 PDF, “BUDGET 2025–2026 Nirmala Sitharaman,” fisheries and marine sector section.
25⁽²⁵⁾ PIB, “Notifies Rules for ‘Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)’,” 3 Nov 2025.
26⁽²⁶⁾ Down To Earth, “Budget 2025‑26: India’s marine sector push sparks mixed reactions,” 31 Jan 2025.
27⁽²⁷⁾ MoES, “Transforming India’s Blue Economy: Investment, innovation and sustainability,” policy note.

This article was published in Hindu Business Line on 23 November 2025.  Read here