Make in Maharashtra Fisheries Policy 2024-2030

Leading India’s Blue Revolution

Maharashtra, with its vast coastline, rich aquatic biodiversity, and extensive inland water resources, is poised to become a leader in sustainable fisheries and aquaculture development. The Maharashtra Fisheries Policy 2024 is a forward-looking initiative aimed at transforming the state’s fisheries sector, ensuring food security, livelihoods for fishers, and sustainable employment generation through the promotion of modern aquaculture practices and fisheries management.

Make in Maharashtra’s aim is to establish the state as a pioneer in aquaculture development by leveraging its natural resources, fostering innovation, and ensuring inclusive economic growth. This policy not only seeks to enhance production but also to build a resilient, environmentally sustainable, and globally competitive fisheries sector.

Vision for 2030: Maharashtra as a Global Leader in Sustainable Fisheries

By 2030, Make in Maharashtra envisions Maharashtra as a global hub for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture development, achieving the following key goals:

Transforming Maharashtra into a leading producer of freshwater and marine fish, contributing significantly to India’s Blue Economy.
Developing 15,000 hectares of tank/pond area for freshwater aquaculture across 30 districts, promoting modern and scientific practices.
Establishing 20 new hatcheries to meet the growing demand for fish seed, with a capacity to produce 30 crore fish seed annually, and promoting the development of feed mills to produce 30,000 tonnes of fish feed per year.
Creating 1 lakh direct and indirect jobs in the fisheries and aquaculture sector, with a focus on supporting fishers, entrepreneurs, and rural communities.
Promoting sustainable coastal aquaculture by introducing schemes and incentives that support the production of shrimp, fish, and other marine species.

Mission: Building Maharashtra’s Fisheries Ecosystem for Sustainable Growth

Make in Maharashtra is dedicated to creating a thriving fisheries and aquaculture ecosystem that drives economic growth, fosters innovation, and ensures sustainable development. The Maharashtra Fisheries Policy 2024 aims to:

Promote sustainable aquaculture practices through scientific fisheries management, improving fish productivity and ensuring ecological balance.
Support the livelihoods of fishers and aquaculture entrepreneurs by providing financial assistance, access to markets, and capacity-building initiatives.
Encourage private investment in fisheries infrastructure, including hatcheries, processing units, cold chain facilities, and export hubs.
Develop modern post-harvest infrastructure to enhance fish production, quality, and export potential, positioning Maharashtra as a key player in the global seafood market.
Foster inclusive growth by providing skill development, capacity building, and employment opportunities, particularly for youth, women, and rural communities.

Key Objectives: Maharashtra’s Fisheries Roadmap

The Maharashtra Fisheries Policy 2024 outlines several strategic objectives aimed at building a sustainable and inclusive fisheries sector:

Promoting Sustainable Aquaculture: Maharashtra will focus on developing 15,000 hectares of tank/pond area for freshwater aquaculture by 2030, using modern scientific methods to enhance productivity and sustainability.
Scaling Fish Seed Production: The state will establish 20 new hatcheries with a combined capacity of 30 crore fish seed per year, ensuring the availability of quality fish seed to meet the needs of aquaculture farmers.
Encouraging Marine Fisheries Development: Maharashtra will promote deep-sea fishing and marine aquaculture by offering incentives for the development of shrimp hatcheries, marine fish culture, and offshore fisheries, contributing to the Blue Economy.
Building Post-Harvest Infrastructure: The policy will support the development of processing units, cold chain facilities, and marketing hubs, enabling fishers and aquaculture farmers to access domestic and global markets more efficiently.
Creating Employment and Livelihood Opportunities: By focusing on skill development, capacity building, and providing financial incentives, the policy aims to create 1 lakh direct and indirect jobs in the fisheries sector, fostering inclusive growth across rural Maharashtra.

Strategic Focus Areas: Driving Growth in Maharashtra’s Fisheries Sector

Developing Sustainable Freshwater and Marine Aquaculture

Maharashtra will develop 15,000 hectares of freshwater aquaculture ponds and promote marine fisheries development by supporting shrimp farming, vannamei culture, and deep-sea fishing. The state will focus on introducing sustainable practices that improve productivity while maintaining ecological balance, ensuring long-term benefits for fishers and the environment.

Scaling Fish Seed Production and Feed Manufacturing

The state will establish 20 new fish hatcheries to meet the growing demand for quality fish seed, enabling aquaculture farmers to increase their output. Additionally, three feed mills will be set up to produce 30,000 tonnes of high-quality fish feed per year, ensuring that aquaculture practices are productive and sustainable.

Strengthening Post-Harvest Infrastructure and Marketing

To enhance the value chain in fisheries, Maharashtra will develop post-harvest infrastructure, including processing units, cold storage facilities, and fish export hubs. The policy also includes a plan to build 100 km of approach roads and provide dedicated power feeders to fishery clusters, improving access to markets and boosting export potential.

Supporting Fisheries Cooperatives and Entrepreneurs

The policy will incentivize the formation of fisheries cooperatives and promote entrepreneurship in the fisheries sector. By offering financial assistance, subsidies, and tax holidays for large-scale fish farmers, Maharashtra will support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in aquaculture and fisheries processing.

Promoting Skill Development and Capacity Building

Maharashtra will focus on skill development by establishing a State-of-the-art Fishery Training Center. This center will provide training for fishers, fisheries department personnel, NGOs, and youth entrepreneurs, ensuring that the workforce is equipped with the skills needed to implement modern, sustainable aquaculture practices.

Incentives for Fisheries and Aquaculture Investments

The Maharashtra Fisheries Policy 2024 provides a range of incentives to promote investments and foster growth in the fisheries and aquaculture sector:

Incentive Type	Details
Large-Scale Fish Farmers Subsidy	Tax holidays and financial incentives for fish farmers producing over 10 tonnes/ha.
Export Incentives	Rationalization of duties, taxes, and cess on the export of fish and fishery products, including packaging materials and machinery.
Working Capital Assistance	Provision of priority lending and working capital support for fisheries cooperatives and large-scale fish producers.
Insurance Coverage	Insurance for fish ponds, equipment, and aquaculture instruments, with incentives for insurance companies to cover fish seed farms and fish culture.
Sustainable Coastal Aquaculture	25% incentives for shrimp and fish hatchery projects, including vannamei culture and deep-sea fishing.
Post-Harvest Infrastructure Support	25% incentives for developing post-harvest infrastructure, including processing units, cold storage facilities, and export hubs.

Ease of Doing Business: Streamlined Approvals and Regulatory Support

Maharashtra is committed to ensuring ease of doing business for fisheries and aquaculture investors. A Single Window Clearance System will be implemented to fast-track approvals for fisheries projects. This system will provide online application processing, ensuring minimal delays in obtaining necessary clearances and reducing regulatory bottlenecks.

Conclusion: Maharashtra Leading India’s Blue Revolution by 2030

The Maharashtra Fisheries Policy 2024 is a comprehensive and forward-looking initiative designed to position Maharashtra as India’s leading state in fisheries and aquaculture development. By fostering sustainable aquaculture practices, promoting investments in fisheries infrastructure, and supporting inclusive growth, Maharashtra will play a pivotal role in India’s Blue Economy.

Make in Maharashtra invites global investors, aquaculture innovators, and fisheries entrepreneurs to join this transformative journey and help build a sustainable, resilient, and thriving fisheries ecosystem in Maharashtra.

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About Make in Maharashtra

The Make in Maharashtra is a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) with a mission to establish Maharashtra as a key player in international economic collaboration, focusing on strategic partnerships with nations like USA, Europe, Australia, African Union, KSA, China, India, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and the UAE across vital sectors such as energy, technology, agriculture, and finance. Our goal is to integrate lessons from successful global economic models, adopting best practices to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth. We aim to enhance economic prosperity and diversification, contribute to societal progress, and promote sustainable economic practices. By leveraging Maharashtra’s unique position, Make in Maharashtra strives to drive substantial economic growth, spur innovation, and solidify Maharashtra’s stature in the international economic arena, resonating with the government’s vision of a technologically advanced and interconnected economy.