Tripura Expands Fisheries Sector to Bridge Production Gap and Boost Rural Economy

By  Firstdespatch Desk   Mar 28, 2025

Agartala, Mar 28 (FD) In a major push to enhance fish production, the Tripura government is restoring unused water bodies across the state. Fisheries Minister Sudhanshu Das, while addressing the State Assembly, announced that the Fisheries Department has undertaken the restoration of 589.66 hectares of unused water bodies in the financial year 2024-25 to initiate fish farming.

Tripura has the highest percentage of fish consumers in India, with 99% of its population consuming fish. The average per capita fish consumption stands at 27.83 kg annually, leading to a high demand of 1,17,287.46 metric tons per year. However, the state’s fish production is currently 85,805.68 metric tons, resulting in a shortfall of 31,481.78 metric tons. To meet this deficit, fish is imported from other states and neighboring countries.

To address this gap, various initiatives have been introduced, including the Chief Minister’s Fisheries Development Scheme, which supports pond renovation, soil testing, and financial aid of ₹6,000 per year for fish farmers. Last year, 3,000 farmers benefited from this scheme. Additionally, 1,200 cage cultures were implemented in the Dumbur reservoir to boost production.

A significant development is the establishment of an Integrated Aqua Park covering 500 hectares in Unakoti district. The ₹100 crore project has already received ₹43 crore from the central government and is expected to produce 5,000 metric tons of fish annually.