June 16, 2025

Fish production in Goa, India peaks in 2023; number slips through net in 2024

Fish production in Goa state, India, peaked at 140.3 tonnes in 2022-23, marking the highest output in eight years, before dropping to 135.7 tonnes in 2023-24.

The latest data released by the Union Ministry of statistics and Programme Implementation in the ‘EnviStats India 2025: Environment Statistics' report shows that the fishing sector weathered significant challenges over the past decade.

From 111.9 tonnes in 2015-16, fish production showed steady growth, peaking at 124 tonnes in 2017-18. However, the industry faced challenges in the subsequent years, declining to 120 tonnes in 2018-19.

The worst time for this sector came during 2019-20, when production plummeted to 105 tonnes, the lowest point in the data series, representing a 15.3% drop. The downturn continued into 2020-21, though production recovered to 111 tonnes.

The recovery gained momentum in 2021-22 with production reaching 116.2 tonnes, followed by a significant surge to 140.3 tonnes in 2022-23, representing a 21% increase and the highest production levels since data collection began.

The decline to 135.7 tonnes in 2023-24, industry watchers said, is a cause for concern, but recovery is definitely possible. The consistent performance above 135 tonnes in recent years showed resilience in the sector, they said.

-      Times of India