Mission Fingerling: Enhance the fisheries production from 10.79 mmt (2014-15) to 15 mmt

Mission Fingerling:

Enhance the fisheries production from 10.79 mmt (2014-15) to 15 mmt by 2020-21

• The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare on 11 March 2017 launched Mission Fingerling.
• This is a programme aimed at achieving the Blue Revolution by enabling holistic development and management of fisheries.
• The main motive behind this programme is to enhance the fisheries production from 10.79 mmt (2014-15) to 15 mmt by 2020-21.
• To spur development in the fisheries sector, the Union Government envisaged a program named Blue Revolution.
• The Blue Revolution focuses on an enabling environment for an integrated and holistic development and management of fisheries for the socio economic development of fish farmers.
• This program with a total expenditure of around INR 52000 lakh will facilitate the establishment of hatcheries and Fingerling rearing pond to ensure the fish production of 426 crores Mission Fingerling.
• Around 25.50 crores Post Larvae of shrimp and crab in the country will also be covered.
• This will converge in the production of 20 lakh tonnes of fish annually and will benefit about 4 million families.
• It lays greater emphasis on infrastructure with an equally strong focus on management and conservation of the resources through technology transfer.
• Productivity enhancement will also be targeted through integration of various production oriented activities.
• This includes production of quality fish seeds, cost effective feed and adoption of technology etc.
• Fish Fingerling production is the single most important critical mission visualised to achieve fish production targets under the Blue Revolution.
• Use of high yielding verities of brooders is another significant aspect to be addressed on priority.
• The Union Agricultural Ministry identified 20 States based on their potential and other relevant factors to strengthen the Fish Seed infrastructure in the country.