Top 10 Fish Producing States in India

Table of Contents

Aquaculture in India

Top 10 Fish Producing States in India

• Andhra Pradesh
• West Bengal
• Karnataka
• Odisha
• Gujarat
• Kerala
• Uttar Pradesh
• Tamil Nadu
• Bihar
• Chhattisgarh

Aquaculture in India

India's aquaculture industry has grown considerably in recent years. Currently, India is one of the world's leading fish producers and exporters. This has had a huge impact on the national economy. It has improved employment opportunities and provided benefits for those involved in the fishing industry whether directly or indirectly. Since India has ideal circumstances for aquaculture to flourish, including good weather, vast coastline areas, and a varied range of fish species, the fishing industry has managed to thrive in the country. Many farmers have already adopted aquaculture thanks to government's help in the form of schemes and training.

 Top 10 Fish Producing States in India

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh is India's leading fish-producing state. The state contributes to 22% of India's total fish production and a majority of shrimp production (70%). Andhra Pradesh produced 50 lakh metric tonnes of fish in 2023, making it a strong player in the fishing industry. Andhra Pradesh is also home to several fish species, including billfish (three), needlefish (three), cobia, dolphinfish, grass carp, giant catfish, and tuna. The state’s abundant fish production fulfills the domestic demand and also contributes to exports.

West Bengal

Following Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal is the second-largest fish-producing state in India. The state is well-known for its fish consumption and farming. Fish is a staple food in many Bengali dishes. In 2023, West Bengal had a huge fish production of around 20 Lakh metric tonne. West Bengal is a state rich in water resources. The state of West Bengal has many rivers, ponds, and wetlands, which are great for a variety of fish cultivation. A popular variety of fishes are available in the state including fish such as Hilsa, Catla, Bhapa Chitala, and Chitala Chitala. The fisheries sector in West Bengal is an important source of income for many and employs over 1.7 million people in the state.

Karnataka

Karnataka is another major contributor to India’s marine fish production. The state is well known for its rich inland water resources. In 2023, Karnataka produced 10 Lakh metric tons of fish. The marine sector contributes 66% of the state's fish production, while the inland sector contributes 34%. The state is known for being popular for a variety of local fishes like bangude, boothayi, kane, and pomfret. Fisheries in Karnataka contribute significantly to the GDP of the country and provide direct employment to many households.

Odisha

Odisha is the 4^th largest fish-producing state in India. The fishing production in the state reached 11 lakh metric tonnes in the year 2023. Odisha is responsible for contributing around 6% of total fish production in India. The state has a 485 km coastline and numerous rivers that support a growing fishery sector. Popular fish species include Hilsa, rohu, Catla, and a variety of prawns, which are widely consumed and exported. Fisheries are one of the main contributing factors to Odisha’s economy. For this reason, the government has initiated programs that would help double the inland fishing production and also increase fishing exports. The State government has implemented many State and central schemes for employment opportunities in the fishing sector.

If you want to learn more about these government schemes for the fishing industry read our article - Government Schemes to Promote Fish Farming in India 2025.

Gujarat

Gujarat has a 1,600 km coastline and a well-developed fishing infrastructure. For this reason, Gujrat is considered one of the key contributors to Fishing production. In 2023, The total fish production of the state of Gujarat in the year 2023-24 was 9,07,716 lakh Metric tons. In which marine contributed to around 7,04,828 Metric tonne. and inland 2,02,888 MT. Overall the state of Gujrat contributes to around 20% of the marine production in the country. Popular species include pomfret, hilsa, Indo-Pacific mackerel, and shrimp, which are exported globally.

Kerala

Kerala is a coastal state located on the southwest coast of India. The state forms around 10% of India’s total coastline. Surrounded by plenty of water resources, which include 44 rivers, and 49 reservoirs. This makes it extremely rich in marine and inland fish production. In 2023, Kerala was able to produce 9 lakh metric tonnes of fish, an all-time high for the state. Popular fish include Pearlspot (karimeen), sardines, mackerel, and shrimp. Kerala also exports fish worth 5,000 crores, which is 3% of the state’s revenue. Around 8 lakh people in the state depend on fishing for their livelihood. The state has more than 200 fishing villages across nine districts. During the monsoon season, Kerala’s coast becomes highly fertile for fishing, which is great for both the economy and local communities.

Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh is blessed with abundant aquatic bioresources. The state contributes nearly 14.68% of India’s fish biodiversity. The state of Uttar Pradesh is surrounded by a huge network of rivers, irrigation canals, ponds, lakes, and floodplain wetlands. This makes it a hub for freshwater fish farming. In 2023, Uttar Pradesh was able to produce 9 lakh metric tonnes of fish. Popular varieties of freshwater fish include rohu, catla, and mrigal. Fisheries play a key role in rural livelihoods. They are responsible for employing over 5 lakh workers in the state. 

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is a leading fish producer in India. Most of its production comes from marine, brackish water, and inland sources. In 2023, the state produced around 9 Lakh metric tonnes of fish. Key fish landing centers include Royapuram, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Mandapam, and Kanyakumari. Tamil Nadu has many inland water resources these include rivers, ponds, reservoirs, and irrigation tanks. Additionally, the state has around 56,000 hectares of brackish water area dedicated to capture fisheries. Tamil Nadu’s diverse fisheries sector employs over a million people becoming a huge contributing factor to the state’s economy.

Bihar

Bihar is a leading inland fish-producing state in India. It ranks fourth among inland fish-producing states. Between 2023- 2024, fish production in Bihar reached 8 lakh metric tonnes, which proved as a significant growth in the sector. The state’s water resources, including rivers, ponds, and reservoirs, are huge support systems for fish farming. Popular varieties of fish found in Bihar are Catla, Rohu, Mrigal, Magur (Catfish), Gaichi (Local Eel Species), etc. The fisheries sector plays an important role in supporting rural livelihoods and also strengthening the state economy.

Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh is another prominent inland fish-producing state, ranking 6th in India in Inland fish production. Chhattisgarh has 1,29,039 ponds covering 2.032 lakh hectares of water area, of which 92% is used for fish farming. Between 2023-24, Chhattisgarh had a fish production of 7 lakh metric tonnes, which marked an impressive growth compared to 2007-2008 when it was just up to 1 lakh tonnes.  Currently, the state has over 2 lakh fish farmers engaged in fisheries or aquaculture sector. Fisheries is an important source of income for Chhattisgarh’s population.