Punjab’s Fisheries Sector Sees Major Growth, Over 14-cr High-Quality Fish Seedlings Produced Annually

Punjab’s Fisheries sector has witnessed remarkable growth with the implementation of various initiatives aimed at enhancing fish production and aquaculture development, said the state Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian on Wednesday. He said that government-run Fish Seed Farms are producing over 14 crore high-quality fish seedlings annually, which are being provided to farmers at subsidized rates to boost the industry.

The Minister highlighted that 16 Government Fish Seed Farms, 11 fish feed mills, and seven laboratories are actively supporting fish farmers in the state. He revealed that fish seedling production increased to 14.74 crore by December 2024, compared to 13.90 crore in 2023. Punjab currently has 43,973 acres under fish farming, with an annual production of 1,81,188 tonnes of fish from natural waters, private, and panchayati ponds.

Encouraging the state’s youth and women to take up fisheries as a profession, Khudian stated that financial assistance ranging from 40 percent to 60 percent of unit costs has been provided for various projects. So far, over Rs 27 crore has been granted to more than 500 beneficiaries under schemes supporting fish and shrimp farming, Recirculatory Aquaculture System (RAS), biofloc culture systems, fish feed mills, fish kiosks , and vehicle purchases for fish transport.

To ensure technical support, elementary training in fish and shrimp farming is being offered free of cost every month, along with expert guidance on pond preparation, seed stocking, fish rearing, and harvesting.

The Minister emphasized that Punjab is committed to a “blue revolution”, adopting modern aquaculture techniques and strengthening infrastructure to increase fish production and improve farmers’ incomes. The establishment of a new Government Fish Seed Farm in Killian Wali (Fazilka district) and a retail fish market in Ghalauri (Patiala district) are key steps towards this goal.

Khudian also acknowledged the achievements of six outstanding fish and shrimp farmers from Punjab, who were felicitated by the Fisheries Department (GoI) on Republic Day in New Delhi, recognizing their contributions to the sector’s development.

Urging more farmers to embrace fisheries as a profitable allied occupation, the minister reiterated the state government’s commitment to making Punjab a leader in aquaculture and sustainable fish production .