Context: Exports of Marine Products registered a growth of 35% to more than 6 billion US Dollars during April-December 2021 compared to the same period in 2020.
About the surge in export of Marine Products in 2021

• Exports of Marine Products during April-December 2021 (USD 6.1 Billion) registered a growth of 12% when compared to April-December 2019 (USD 5.5 Billion), 38% when compared to April-December 2014 (USD 4.4 Billion) and 35% when compared to April-December 2020 (USD 4.5 Billion).

Top 5 export destinations in April-November 2021 (latest available, share% in bracket) are:

• USA (44.5%),
• China (15.3%),
• Japan (6.2%),
• Vietnam (4%) &
• Thailand (3%).

Top Marine Products exported from India in the Marine-exports basket in FY2020-21 are:

• Frozen shrimps (74% share in value terms of USD);
• Frozen Fish (7%),
• Others (6%) and
• Frozen Squid (5%).

About India’s Fisheries Sector

• India is the second-largest fish producer in the world with a total production of 13.7 million metric tonnes in 2018-19 of which 65 per cent was from the inland sector. China is at rank 1 with 60 million tonnes per annum (almost 5 times as much as India).
• Fish & fish product exports emerged as the largest group in agricultural exports & in value terms accounted for Rs 47,620 crore in 2018-19.
• Fisheries provide employment to more than 14.5 million people.

Steps taken to promote Export of Marine Products
Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA)

• The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) was set up by the Marine Products Export Development Authority Act (MPEDA), 1972.
• It functions under Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry and is headquartered in Kochi, Kerala.

Functions of the MPEDA

• MPEDA is given the mandate to promote the marine products industry with special reference to exports from the country.
• It is envisaged that this organization would take all actions to develop and augment the resources required for promoting the exports of “all varieties of fishery products known commercially as shrimp, prawn, lobster, crab, fish, shell-fish, other aquatic animals or plants or part thereof and any other products which the authority may, by notification in the Gazette of India, declare to be marine products for the purposes of (the) Act”.
• The Act empowers MPEDA to regulate exports of marine products and take all measures required for ensuring sustained, quality seafood exports from the country.
• MPEDA is given the authority to prescribe for itself any matters which the future might require for protecting and augmenting the seafood exports from the country.
• It is also empowered to carry out inspection of marine products, its raw material, fixing standards, specifications, and training as well as take all necessary steps for marketing the seafood overseas.

Blue Revolution

• Blue Revolution was launched in India during the seventh Five-year plan (1985-1990) when the Central Government sponsored the Fish Farmers Development Agency (FFDA). Subsequently, the Brackish Water Fish Farms Development Agency was set up to develop aquaculture.
• The Blue Revolution has brought improvement in aquaculture by adopting new techniques of fish breeding, fish marketing, and fish export. Under the Blue Revolution programme, there had been a tremendous increase in the production of shrimp. Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have developed shrimp in a big way. The Nellore District of Andhra Pradesh is known as the “shrimp capital of India”.

Blue Revolution means the adoption of a package programme to increase the production of fish and marine products. The objective of the blue revolution is:

• To increase the overall fish production in a responsible and sustainable manner for economic prosperity
• To modernize the fisheries with a special focus on new technologies
• To ensure food and nutritional security
• To generate employment and export earnings
• To ensure inclusive development and empower fishers and aquaculture farmers

Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)

• Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) was launched in 2020 to bring about Blue Revolution through the sustainable development of the fisheries sector over a period of five years (2020-2025).
• It is an umbrella scheme to develop the fisheries sector with a total outlay of Rs. 20050 crores. It has two components
• The Central Sector Scheme (CS) component with a non-beneficiary-oriented scheme and a Beneficiary oriented scheme (Central Assistance for General Category – 40%; SC/ST/Women – 60%).
• A Central Sponsored Scheme (CSS) component also with a non-beneficiary-oriented scheme and Beneficiary oriented scheme. The different break-ups of funding are: Central Assistance for Northeastern States – 90%, Other States – 60%; and UTs – 100%.

The areas expected to be covered by the PMMSY are

• Fish production
• Fisheries productivity
• Quality of fisheries and aquaculture sectors
• Post-harvest infrastructure and management
• Modernization of value chain
• Welfare of the fishers and fish farmers
• Fisheries management framework

The objectives of the PMMSY are

• Develop fisheries and aquaculture sectors.
• Harness the potential of fisheries sector in a sustainable, responsible, inclusive and equitable manner
• Efficient use of land and water resources to enhance fish production and productivity.
• Modernize value chain considering post-harvest management and quality improvement.
• Double fishers and fish farmers’ incomes
• Generate employment in the fisheries sector.
• Enhance fisheries sector’s contribution to overall agricultural Gross Value Added (GVA) and exports.
• Provide social, economic and physical security to fish farmers and fishermen.
• Develop a robust fisheries management and regulatory framework.