Kochi, Oct 29 A major nationwide effort to document India’s marine fishing community will be launched on Friday (October 31), marking the start of household enumeration under the 5th Marine Fisheries Census (MFC) 2025.
The initiative, covering over 1.2 million fisher households across all coastal states and Union Territories, aims to provide crucial baseline data for sustainable fisheries management and policy formulation.
Union Minister of State for Fisheries George Kurian will formally inaugurate the census and a national workshop at the ICAR–Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) at 10 a.m.
The programme is coordinated by the Department of Fisheries (DoF) under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, as part of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).
The CMFRI serves as the nodal agency, with the Fishery Survey of India (FSI) as the operational partner.
For 45 days, trained enumerators drawn from local fishing communities will visit every marine fisher household across the country to gather data on demographics, livelihood, and fishing assets.
The MFC 2025 marks a technological leap as the first fully digital and geo-referenced marine fisheries census.
The CMFRI has developed customised mobile and tablet-based applications to ensure accuracy and speed in data collection.
Two major digital tools -- VYAS–BHARAT and VYAS–SUTRA -- will also be launched to support real-time data analysis and integration.
The census is expected to generate vital insights for improving the socio-economic well-being of coastal fishing communities and strengthening India’s marine resource governance.
Following the launch, Kurian will inaugurate the National Marine Fisheries Data Centre (NMFDC) at the CMFRI, which will serve as a central repository for fisheries data nationwide.
Economic Advisor Dr Ajay Srivastava will preside over the event. MP Hibi Eden, MLA T.J. Vinod, Union Fisheries Secretary Dr Abhilaksh Likhi, CMFRI Director Dr Grinson George, CIFT Director Dr George Ninan, and FSI Director General Dr Sreenath K.R. are among the dignitaries scheduled to speak
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