Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, on Saturday pressed West Bengal and neighboring states to fully harness their inland fisheries potential, spotlighting a 143% surge in inland fish production over the past decade. Addressing officials from West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh at a Regional Review Meeting in Kolkata, Singh highlighted India’s rise as the world’s second-largest fish producer, with a 103% overall growth in fish output since 2014.

West Bengal, a leading contributor with 17.42 lakh tonnes annually, has tapped only 50–60% of its inland fisheries potential, Singh noted. Despite 32 lakh fish farmers, only 51,000 are registered with the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), limiting access to schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). “Registering all fishers is critical to unlock central benefits and drive growth,” he urged, advocating for cooperative models to manage village-level pisciculture.

Singh proposed rearing four fish species per pond and developing traditional water bodies like ‘pukurs’ to boost production. He emphasized modernizing processing plants and fostering private-sector partnerships to enhance domestic supply and exports, with Rs 232 crore invested under PMMSY across eastern states. “Every pond is an opportunity. Cooperatives can transform micro-level fish farming, strengthening the state and national economy,” he said.

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The minister sidestepped the absence of West Bengal’s principal fisheries secretary, noting a secretary-level official attended. “We must work together, not point fingers,” he said, reinforcing the Centre’s commitment to support infrastructure upgrades. The meeting, attended by Minister of State George Kurian, reviewed schemes like the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) and PM-MKSSY, aiming to address region-specific challenges and promote sustainable growth.

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