TRADITIONAL FISHERMEN AND FISH FARMERS IN TAMIL NADU

Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying TRADITIONAL FISHERMEN AND FISH FARMERS IN TAMIL NADU प्रव तथ: 28 JUL 2026 4:05PM by PIB Delhi The Department of Fisheries, Government of India (DoF, GoI) is implementing various schemes and programs for holistic development of fisheries sector and to enhance the livelihood, income and socio- economic welfare of traditional fishermen and fish farmers in the country including Tamil Nadu, such as Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) (2020-21 to 2024-25), Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (2018-19 to 2025-26), Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah Yojana (2023-24 to 2026-27) and Extension of the facility of the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) to the fishers and fish farmers to meet their working capital requirements. In the state of Tamil Nadu, a project titled "Establishment of Multipurpose Seaweed Park" has been sanctioned under the PMMSY at a total cost of Rs. 127.71 crore, including component of seaweed multiplication in Hub-I Centre at Valamavur in Ramanathapuram District.

Under PMMSY and schemes of State Government of Tamil Nadu implemented in Ramanathapuram district in the last three financial years (2023-2026), financial assistance in the form of subsidies, insurance coverage and livelihood support has been provided to traditional fishermen and fish farmers for various activities, as detailed in Annexure I.

(c): The details of fisheries infrastructure developed in Ramanathapuram district, including fishing harbours, fish landing centres, cold storage facilities, ice plants, fish processing units and aquaculture infrastructure are provided at Annexure II.

(d): The Government organizes various skill development and capacity-building programmes for fishermen and fish farmers to enhance their technical skills, disseminate recent innovations and best practices in the fisheries sector, and promote sustainable livelihood opportunities. These training programmes contribute to the livelihood development and socio-economic upliftment of fisher families.

88 training programs covering about 5599 trainees were conducted in the previous 3 years for fishers and fish farmers in Ramanathapuram district. The details are given in Annexure III.

(e): The Government is implementing various schemes to promote sustainable fisheries and enhance the livelihood of traditional fishing communities in Ramanathapuram district. Financial assistance and institutional credit is provided for acquisition of 45 deep-sea tuna fishing vessels. In Ramanthapuram District 13,949 Fishermen and farmers are facilitated with access to institutional credit of Rs. 236.26 crore through the Kisan Credit Card (KCC). Further, mariculture activities such as seaweed cultivation and cage culture are being actively promoted to provide alternative livelihood opportunities for fishers and coastal communities. So far, 19,575 seaweed culture rafts and monolines and 499 cage culture units have been established in different districts of Tamil Nadu including Ramanthapuram under various Government schemes. In addition, skill development and capacity-building programmes are regularly organized on seaweed farming, aquaculture and mariculture practices, value addition of fishery products, dry fishprocessing, preparation of ready-to-eat fish products, boat driving, marine engine repair and maintenance, net crafting, and recycling of waste fishing nets to enhance the technical skills and income-generating capacity of beneficiaries.

***** Annexure-I Statement regarding Traditional Fishermen and Fish Farmers in Tamil Nadu S. No. Name of the Project Units Project cost (Rs. In Crores)

1. Establishment & Operation of Vessel 402 18.01 (for 4997 units) Monitoring System (VMS)

2. Installation of the Turtle Excluder 885 6.29 (for 2613 units) Devices (TED)

3. Establishment of Seaweed culture rafts 2100 1.90 including inputs

4. Establishment of Seaweed culture with 60 0.028 Monoline/tubenet Method including inputs

5. Construction of Biofloc ponds for 13 1.00 Brackish water/Saline/Alkaline areas including inputs

6. Refrigerated vehicles/Insulated 78 1.52 Vehicles/Motor cycle with Ice Box/Cycle with Ice Boxes/Three wheeler with Ice Box including e- rickshaws for fish vending

7. Tuna Fishing Boat Construction (70% 5 4.00 subsidy)

8. Tuna Fishing Boat Construction (50% 10 2.37 subsidy)

9. Establishment of Open Sea cages 80 0.24

10. Backyard ornamental unit 1 0.0211. Livelihood and nutritional support for 1,19,104 84.08 socio economically backward active traditional fishers’ families for conservation of fisheries resources during fishing ban/lean period

12. Group accident insurance scheme 102 5.10 Annexure-II Statement regarding Traditional Fishermen and Fish Farmers in Tamil Nadu NABARD SCHEMES - Ongoing Projects S.No Name of the Project Year of Project cost Sanction (In Crores) 1 Improvements to the Fish Landing Centre 2024-25 Rs.150.00 at Thangachimadam in Ramanathapuram District 2 Construction of Bait Arch at 2024-25 Rs.20.00 Roachmanagar Village in Ramanathapuram District 3 Improvements to the Fish Landing Centre 2024-25 Rs.148.00 at Kunthukal in Ramanathapuram District 4 Construction of Fish Landing Centre at 2024-25 Rs.58.50 Pamban North Village in Ramanathapuram District NABARD SCHEMES - Completed Projects 1 Construction of Bait Arch at Merkuvadi 2025-26 Rs.24.27 village in Ramanathapuram Distric FIDF SCHEMES - Ongoing Projects 1 Construction of Fish Landing Centre at 2025-26 Rs.1.63 Thiruppalaikudi in Ramanathapuram District2 Construction of Fish Landing Centre at 2025-26 Rs.1.63 Nambuthalai in Ramanathapuram District 3 Providing Additional Infrastructure 2025-26 Rs.1.63 Facilities at Rameswaram in Ramanathapuram District 4 Providing Additional Infrastructure 2025-26 Rs.0.80 Facilities at Vaalinokkam in Ramanathapuram District 5 Providing Additional Infrastructure 2025-26 Rs.0.80 Facilities at Morepannai in Ramanathapuram District PMMSY SCHEMES - Completed Projects 1 Fabrication and Installation of Artificial 2024-25 Rs.23.25 Reefs in 75 Locations of 10 Fishermen Villages in Ramanathapuram – North in Ramanathapuram District 2 Fabrication and Installation of Artificial 2024-25 Rs.12.09 Reefs in 39 Locations of 4 Fishermen Villages in Rameswaram in Ramanathapuram District 3 Fabrication and Installation of Artificial 2024-25 Rs.2.79 Reefs in 9 Locations of 9 Fishermen Villages in Mandapam in Ramanathapuram District 4 Fabrication and Installation of Artificial 2024-25 Rs.7.13 Reefs in 23 Locations of 10 Fishermen Villages in Ramanathapuram-South in Ramanathapuram District PMMSY SCHEMES - Ongoing Projects 1 Development of Climate Resilient 2024-25 Rs.1.40 Coastal Fishermen Village at Kalimangundu in Ramanathapuram District2 Development of Climate Resilient 2024-25 Rs.1.40 Coastal Fishermen Village at Soliyakudi in Ramanathapuram District 3 Establishment of Multipurpose seaweed 2023-24 Rs.127.71 Park in TamilNadu ***** Annexure-III Statement regarding Traditional Fishermen and Fish Farmers in Tamil Nadu S. No. Training Program Number of Number of Trainees trainings

(Batches)

1. NFDB Training on seaweed value 23 575 added products and production of seaweed SAP & Fertilizer

2. Community Based Emergency 28 1116 Response Training (First Responder Training on disaster preparedness, emergency response, and first aid)

3. Livelihood of Fishermen (Palk Bay and 34 3683 Gulf of Mannar Districts) on various aspects such as seaweed farming, value added fishery products, boat driving, engine repair and maintenance, dry fish making, ready to eat products, aquaculture and mariculture activities, net craft and waste net recycling

4. Training on Pond Based Seabass 3 225 culture This information was given by Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh in the Lok Sabha in response to a question asked.

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