Marine fisheries census nears completion preliminary report by February-end- The Week

Kochi, Jan 24 (PTI) The government agency ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) will complete the household enumeration of the fully-digitized National Marine Fisheries Census (MFC) 2025 by the end of this month, a senior official said on Saturday.
    A preliminary report will be ready by February-end and the final one by March, said J Jayashankar, CMFRI principal scientist and HoD (Fisheries Resources Assessment, Economics & Extension), who is leading the census project.
     The enumeration is underway in West Bengal, where it started late. The process has almost been completed in the other 12 states and union territories, he told PTI.
     The initial deadline for household enumeration was December 18, 2025, which was extended twice till January 31 due to local polls in Maharashtra and other issues.

     HOUSEHOLD TREND
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     The trend based on current data collected shows the total households to be around 9-10 lakh, which is the same as the previous census. The number of habitations has increased, although the population remains the same as the previous 2016 census level, indicating migration of people from inland fisheries to marine, he said.
     The trend shows that about 80 per cent of households are traditional fishing families, where fishing activity has been the main livelihood for generations, while the rest of the households are first-timers, especially migrants.
     The preliminary data also showed duplication of Aadhaar, as some fishermen work in different states.

     FIRST FULLY DIGITISED CENSUS
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     The census is fully digitalised for the first time with geo-tagging of information about fisher households, types of skills they own and other details.
     The household enumeration began on October 31, 2025, under which all fishers and fish workers are registered on the National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP) to ensure the benefits of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY).
     Moving entirely from conventional paper-based methods, the digital census has generated the most comprehensive, granular and geo-referenced national database to date, laying a robust foundation for evidence-based planning.
     The digital and geo-referenced census is a marked leap from predecessors in 2005, 2010 and 2016. Vital data gathered include insurance status, losses or disabilities, specific socio-economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on fisher families and the receipt of benefits from government schemes.

     CENSUS HISTORY
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     The first planned survey of marine fishing villages was conducted by CMFRI in 1948-49, which yielded information on village-wise population, number of active fishermen and different types of fishing units. Similar surveys were conducted during 1957-58 and 1961-62.
     The survey, later conducted during 1973-77, generated information on the number of mechanised and indigenous fishing crafts and gears for each maritime state.
     In 1980, CMFRI undertook a well-organised marine fisheries census covering all maritime states in the mainland except for Maharashtra, where the census was conducted by the state fisheries department in the previous year. In this census, 2,132 marine fishing villages, 1,442 marine fish landing centres and 3,33,038 households were covered.
     The next planned census was conducted by CMFRI with support from the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries (DAHDF) in 2005, for all the maritime states and two union territories in the mainland covering 3,202 marine fishing villages, 1,332 marine fish landing centres and 7,56,212 marine fishermen households.
     The marine fisheries census conducted in 2010 jointly by CMFRI and DAHDF, covering all the nine maritime states and two union territories, collected information on social and educational status of fishermen, infrastructure facilities etc from 3,288 marine fishing villages, 1,511 marine fish landing centres and 8,64,550 marine fishermen households.
     The latest marine fisheries census was conducted in 2016 jointly by CMFRI and DAHDF.

Marine fisheries census nears completion preliminary report by February-end

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