The concept of rapid increase in the production of fish and marine product through package programme is called as blue revolution. It was launched in India during the seventh Five-year plan (1985-1990) when the Central Government sponsored the Fish Farmers Development Agency (FFDA). It has brought improvement in aquaculture by adopting new techniques of fish breeding, fish rearing, fish marketing, and fish export.The concept of rapid increase in the production of fish and marine product through package programme is called as blue revolution. It was launched in India during the seventh Five-year plan (1985-1990) when the Central Government sponsored the Fish Farmers Development Agency (FFDA). It has brought improvement in aquaculture by adopting new techniques of fish breeding, fish rearing, fish marketing, and fish export.Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have developed shrimp in a big way. The Nellore District of Andhra Pradesh is known as the ‘Shrimp Capital of India’. There are more than 1800 species of fish found in the sea and inland waters of India, of which a very few are commercially important. The important sea fish include catfish, herring, mackerels, perches, mullets, Indian salmon, shell fish, eels, anchovies, and dorab. Similarly, the main fresh water fish include catfish, loaches, perches, eels, herrings, feather backs, mullets, carps, prawns, murrels, and anchovies.

Introduction to the Blue Revolution

The Blue Revolution (Nili Kranti) is an initiative taken by the government for the growth of the aquaculture industry. It started in China as it accounts for around two-thirds of the total aquaculture production worldwide.

Recently, the aquaculture industry has been growing at an average rate of 9% a year and India is one of the fastest growers. The Neel Kranti Mission was the start of the Blue Revolution in India with the vision to achieve the economic prosperity of India keeping in view the sustainability, bio-security, and environmental concerns.

Nili Kranti in India

The Blue Revolution in India was launched during the 7th Five Year Plan (1985-1990) during the sponsorship of the Fish Farmers Development Agency (FFDA) by the Central Government of India. Later, during the 8th Five Year Plan (1992-97), the Intensive Marine Fisheries Program was launched, and eventually, the fishing harbours in Vishakhapatnam, Kochi, Tuticorin, Porbandar, and Port Blair were also established over the time.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare along with the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries planned to restructure this scheme along with the other ongoing schemes by merging it under a single umbrella of ‘Blue Revolution’. This scheme focused on the development and management of fisheries controlled by the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB).