Celebrating Progressive Aquaculturists: Icar-Cifri Recognizes Exceptional Fish Farmers on National Fish Farmers Day 2025
Celebrating National Fish Farmers Day: Honouring India's Aquatic Achievements
On July 10, 2025, the ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI) in Barrackpore celebrated National Fish Farmers Day, a day set aside to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of fish farmers and the significant role they play in India's aquatic sector.
The day marked a tribute to a landmark breakthrough in Indian aquaculture in 1957 when scientists Professor Dr. Hiralal Chaudhury and Dr. K.H. Alikunhi successfully induced breeding of Indian major carps in captivity using the hypophysation technique. This achievement laid the foundation for India's Blue Revolution, significantly boosting fish production and transforming fisheries into a fast-growing, scientifically managed sector of the economy.
The event was attended by various dignitaries, including Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, Union Minister of State for Education and Development of the North Eastern Region, Government of India. In his address, Dr. Majumdar urged fish farmers to adopt modern technologies developed by CIFRI and utilize schemes like PMMSY (Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana) to enhance fish production.
Seventeen progressive fish farmers, including four women, from eight states were felicitated for their contributions to the inland fisheries sector. The fisheries sector in India is experiencing rapid growth, with a record production of 18.42 million tonnes in 2024-25, positioning the country as the second-largest fish producer globally.
The National Fish Farmers Day 2025 also saw the launch of 17 new fisheries clusters and projects worth Rs 105 crore. The gathering consisted of 120 fishers and farmers, including 27 women, entrepreneurs, researchers, and representatives from NGOs. The programme served as a platform for dialogue between fishers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and policymakers, and reinforced the collective vision of a prosperous inland fisheries sector aligned with the national goal of Viksit Bharat.
Dr. B.K.Das, Director of ICAR-CIFRI, emphasized the institute's ongoing research in improving productivity in reservoirs and wetlands, river restoration, sustainable development goals (SDGs), and environmental flow requirements. He also signed an MOU with two wetlands of North 24 Parganas, West Bengal.
On this occasion, the Honourable Minister released several publications and products of ICAR-CIFRI. The thrust of ICAR-CIFRI is currently to increase the production and productivity of medium and large reservoirs and wetlands, as well as river restoration protocols.
The event commemorated the historic success of the induced breeding technique in 1957 at the Angul Fish Farm, Cuttack, which marked India's first Blue Revolution. The sector contributes about 1.09% to the national GDP and over 7% to agricultural GDP, moving towards the goal of a Second Blue Revolution with a target of 22 million tonnes of production.
National Fish Farmers Day not only serves to commemorate a scientific milestone in Indian fisheries history but also to recognise the ongoing vital contributions of fish farmers to the economy, nutrition, and sustainable resource management. The day highlights the role of fish farmers in strengthening food security, providing 20% of global animal protein, generating rural employment, and supporting sustainable aquaculture practices.
References: [1] India Today [3] The Hindu [5] ICAR-CIFRI
Scientists could explore ways to blend health-and-wellness strategies with aquatic farming, promoting fitness-and-exercise as part of fish farming practices, as doing so might improve overall well-being and productivity in the fisheries sector.
As the inland fisheries sector continues to grow rapidly, encouraging greater investment in science and technology is key, not only to boost fish production but also to foster innovation in areas such as health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, and sustainable resource management.
