The Department of Fisheries has initiated the fifth National Marine Fisheries Census (MFC) for 2025, expanding its mandate to collect additional data that was not previously included.
In addition to the regular information such as mapping marine fisheries resources like trawlers, nets, and industries, this year’s census will also gather data related to ornamental fish, seaweed collectors, and individuals involved in the value chain of marine fisheries. Importantly, the census will be fully digital and will utilise the VYAS app to provide real-time, geo-referenced data collection.
The ICAR–Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) serves as the nodal agency, while the Fishery Survey of India (FSI) is the operational partner. Both have been appointed to conduct the MFC with a budget allocation of ₹16.2 crore.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, J. Jayasankar, Principal Scientist and Head of the Fishery Resources Assessment, Economics and Extension Division, said that the expanded mandate of the census has increased the duration of the survey.
“Previously, the manual survey usually took 30 days to complete across 13 coastal states and Union Territories, but the broader scope for collecting new data has extended the timeframe to 45 days,” said Jayasankar, who is coordinating the MFC.
The 45-day nationwide enumeration will take place from November 3 to December 18, involving thousands of trained field staff and covering over 1.2 million fisher households across 4,000 marine fishing villages in nine coastal states and four Union Territories.
When asked how the marine census would distinguish between individuals engaged in aquaculture versus those in marine fisheries, Dr George Grinson, Director of CMFRI, explained that a comprehensive set of criteria will be used for differentiation.
“There are 18 specific criteria to distinguish between inland fisheries and marine fisheries,” Grinson stated. He added that even one family member involved in the marine fisheries supply chain would be counted as part of the MFC.
Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, George Kurian, officially launched the MFC in Kochi.
Describing the Marine Fisheries Census as a landmark step towards digital and data-driven fisheries governance in India, Kurian stated, “This edition represents a significant technological shift as it marks the first fully digitised data collection in the history of Indian fisheries.”
