Tamil Nadu tops India in fishing boats; Nagapattinam, Ramnad key hubs

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has the highest number of fishing boats in India, with 43,384 boats accounting for nearly 19 per cent of the 2,24,985 boats operating across the country's coastal states and Union territories, according to data from the Union Fisheries Ministry.

A large fishing population is concentrated in coastal districts such as Nagapattinam, Ramanathapuram and Kanniyakumari, which have major fishing harbours and fishing communities. This concentration helps explain why issues faced by Indian fishermen operating in waters close to Sri Lanka affect a large number of families dependent on the sector.

The ministry data covers mechanised, motorised, traditional wooden and country boats. However, it does not provide a district-wise breakup of Tamil Nadu's 43,384 boats. Therefore, the exact contribution of Nagapattinam, Ramanathapuram, and Kanniyakumari to the state's total cannot be determined from the available data.

Chennai is also among Tamil Nadu's important fishing centres. Fishing-related activities support thousands of families directly and indirectly, while also generating employment in ancillary sectors such as boat building and repair, fish processing, and refrigeration equipment maintenance.

Andhra Pradesh ranks second with 30,315 fishing boats. It is followed by Gujarat with 28,073 boats, Maharashtra with 26,102, Karnataka with 25,812, Kerala with 24,163, Odisha with 18,814, West Bengal with 11,379, Puducherry with 5,815, Andaman and Nicobar Islands with 4,249, Goa with 3,128, Daman and Diu with 2,093 and Lakshadweep with 1,658.

Fishing forms the backbone of the fisheries sector, which contributes around 6.72 per cent to India's agricultural GDP, according to the information provided. The sector provides livelihoods, directly and indirectly, to more than 2.8 crore fishers and fisheries-related workers across the country.

The Union and state governments have been implementing various schemes aimed at supporting the economic development of people dependent on fishing and improving marine production.