Odisha Charts New Course in Fisheries on World Fisheries Day 2025
Odisha marked World Fisheries Day 2025 with a strong call for self-reliance in its fisheries sector.
Minister of Fisheries and Animal Resources Development, Gokulananda Mallik, highlighted the state’s vast resources—574.7 km of coastline, 4.18 lakh hectares of brackish water, and 7.12 lakh hectares of freshwater—as the foundation for sustainable growth.
At the state-level event held at OUAT Agriculture Education Hall, the Minister inaugurated several key infrastructure projects, including modern fish markets in Puri and Ganjam, a Fisheries Training Centre in Angul, and the foundation stone for the Directorate of Fisheries in Cuttack.
He also launched the Odisha Fisheries Web Portal, alongside the release of the Department’s Annual Activity Report and Fisheries Sector Handbook.
A landmark MoU with CIFRI was signed to boost research and conservation of the Mahanadi Mahaseer, Odisha’s State Fish.
Subsidies were distributed to beneficiaries, Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) were handed out for marine conservation, and an awareness vehicle was flagged off to promote sustainable practices.
Odisha’s fisheries sector continues to thrive, with 11.92 lakh metric tonnes of fish produced in 2024–25, securing the state the 4th position nationally.
With 94% of the population consuming fish and per capita consumption at 19.16 kg annually—double the national average—the demand remains robust. Marine exports have surged twelvefold in two decades, reaching 91,930 MT worth Rs 4,710 crore in 2024–25.
Officials and experts at the event emphasised the importance of infrastructure, cooperative societies, and research to ensure long-term prosperity.
With over 16 lakh fishers, farmers, SHGs, entrepreneurs, and youth engaged in the sector, Odisha is positioning itself as a national leader in fisheries development.
