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🇮🇳 Fish of India

104 fish from India, best known first.

India ranks third globally in fish production, contributing over one percent to its GDP and supporting millions of livelihoods. The sector combines extensive marine harvesting with rapid aquaculture growth, particularly in carp and shrimp farming.

  • India is the world's third largest fish producer overall.
  • Aquaculture supports over 28 million people in India.
  • Frozen shrimp accounts for most seafood export earnings.
  • A monsoon trawling ban protects fish spawning cycles.
  • Koyilandy harbour holds the longest breakwater in Asia.

Fish of India

Fishing forms a vital economic pillar for India, generating roughly one percent of the national gross domestic product. This industry sustains more than twenty-eight million individuals, often providing essential income for vulnerable groups. As the world’s third-largest fish producer, India accounts for nearly eight percent of global output. Aquaculture drives much of this success, making the nation the second-largest producer in this category after China. Recent estimates place total annual production at approximately fourteen point seven million metric tonnes. Export earnings have surged, reaching hundreds of billions of rupees, with government schemes aiming to further expand these revenues. The sector has seen dramatic growth since the mid-twentieth century, increasing production by seventeen times over several decades.

Notable species

Carp species dominate inland farming, including catla, mrigal, and rohu, which are cultivated extensively in ponds and reservoirs. Shrimp farming relies heavily on the giant tiger prawn and Pacific white shrimp, with Andhra Pradesh and Kerala leading production. Freshwater prawns also contribute significantly to the aquaculture sector. Marine catches include various coastal fish species, though specific dominant wild-caught varieties are not detailed in the provided text. Ornamental fish farming is regulated, with bans on selling certain rare species to protect biodiversity.

Seas and rivers

India possesses a marine coastline spanning over seven thousand five hundred kilometres, alongside thousands of fishing villages and landing centres. Inland resources include vast networks of rivers, canals, reservoirs, ponds, and wetlands covering millions of hectares. These freshwater bodies account for more than half of the total fish production. The exclusive economic zone extends two hundred nautical miles into the Indian Ocean, encompassing more than two million square kilometres. Brackish water areas suitable for aquaculture cover approximately fourteen thousand square kilometres. Despite this potential, less than ten percent of natural freshwater capacity is currently utilized for scientific fisheries.

Fishing and farming

The industry employs millions through both traditional artisanal methods and modern mechanized fleets. Traditional craft powered by sails or oars coexist with motorized boats and deep-sea vessels. Aquaculture techniques range from extensive pond culture to intensive systems with aeration and supplementary feeding. Shrimp exports have made India the top global exporter, with frozen shrimp being the primary commodity. Government initiatives promote deep-sea fishing joint ventures and modernize coastal infrastructure. A seasonal trawling ban during the monsoon aims to protect spawning stocks, although debates continue regarding its duration. Research institutions support training and technological advancement across the sector.

Fish in culture

Fish farming traditions date back centuries, with historical texts referencing controlled breeding practices as early as three hundred B.C. National Fish Farmers Day is celebrated annually on July tenth to honor the community. Traditional methods in central and southern India have persisted for two millennia. The National Fisheries Development Board operates from a distinctive building shaped like a fish, symbolizing the sector's importance. Historical records indicate that brackishwater farming utilized salt-resistant paddy fields and coastal wetlands. These long-standing practices form the cultural backbone of the industry, blending ancient knowledge with contemporary agricultural science.

Today

Current challenges include low individual productivity compared to nations like Norway and Chile. Climate change and habitat destruction are reducing fish stocks within exclusive economic zones, pushing fishermen toward riskier international waters. Disputes with neighboring navies occasionally lead to arrests or casualties among Indian fishermen. Increased presence of foreign deep-sea trawlers in the Southern Indian Ocean raises concerns about resource depletion. Regulatory measures prohibit the use of certain antibiotics in hatcheries and restrict ornamental fish sales. Efforts continue to expand aquaculture area and improve sustainability policies to meet growing global demand while preserving ecological balance.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Fishing in India", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. EveryFish rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Reef or seaRiver or lakeFishing harbourFish marketAquarium or researchCity

Fish places in India

Vembanad and the Kerala backwaters 7Sassoon Dock, Mumbai 2Chilika Lake 1The Andaman Islands 1Corbett and the RamgangaEast Kolkata WetlandsGariahat market, KolkataHowrah wholesale fish marketICAR-CIFA, BhubaneswarKasimedu, ChennaiKochi and the Chinese fishing netsLakshadweepLoktak LakeMangaluru fishing harbourRatnagiri and the Konkan coastThe GangesThe HooghlyThe SundarbansVeravalWestern Ghats rivers and the Kaveri
GroupSharkRayCarpCatfishSalmonidHerringCodTunaPerch-likeCichlidReef fishEelFlatfishLivebearerAncientOther
WaterRivers and lakesEstuaries and mangrovesCoasts and shelvesCoral reefsOpen oceanDeep seaPolar and cold seasCaves and springsBetween sea and river
UseFood fishFarmedAquarium fishSport fishingCulture and faithVenomous or dangerousInvasiveScience and research
OrderBest knownA to ZOldest firstNewest firstBy size
🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 4 moreButter catfish Asian sheatfish valued for delicate flesh and fish balls.Catfish · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreRohu A large silver carp from South Asian rivers, farmed for food and prized as a game fish.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇿🇦 South Africa and 4 moreAfrican sharptooth catfish Large airbreathing catfish farmed across Africa and AsiaCatfish · Rivers and lakes Indian threadfin 🇵🇰 Pakistan and 2 moreIndian threadfin A large coastal fish with distinctive long fin filaments.Other · Coasts and shelves · 1804 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreCommon snowtrout A cold-water cyprinid from Himalayan rivers.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 IndiaZebra loach A small, striped freshwater fish from India's Western Ghats, kept in aquariums and eaten locally.Other · Rivers and lakes · 1920 🇨🇳 China and 3 moreAsian swamp eel A freshwater, air-breathing fish native to Asia and introduced elsewhere.Eel · Rivers and lakes 🇺🇸 United States and 4 moreMosquitofish Small North American fish introduced globally for mosquito control.Livebearer · Rivers and lakes 🇦🇺 Australia and 4 moreLargetooth sawfish A critically endangered ray with a toothed rostrum that enters rivers.Ray · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreClimbing perch Amphibious freshwater fish capable of breathing air and moving on land.Other · Rivers and lakes · 1792 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreAsian stinging catfish A small freshwater catfish with a painful stingCatfish · Rivers and lakes 🇵🇰 Pakistan and 4 moreSwamp barb Small tropical freshwater fish from South AsiaCarp · Rivers and lakes 🇵🇰 Pakistan and 2 moreDwarf gourami Small South Asian freshwater fish with vibrant colours.Other · Rivers and lakes Banded gourami 🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 4 moreBanded gourami Small tropical air-breathing fish with striped patternsPerch-like · Rivers and lakes · 1801 🇮🇳 IndiaSun catfish A yellow catfish with a black shoulder spot from India.Catfish · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 IndiaPondicherry shark A rare, small grey requiem shark from Indo-Pacific coasts.Shark · Coasts and shelves · 1839 🇦🇫 Afghanistan and 4 moreSpotted snakehead Small carnivorous fish from South AsiaOther · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇷 Iran and 4 moreDwarf snakehead Small freshwater fish native to southern AsiaOther · Rivers and lakes 🇦🇫 Afghanistan and 4 moreGiant river-catfish Large bagrid catfish from South Asian riversCatfish · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreLong-whiskered catfish Large Asian catfish prized for food and sport.Catfish · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreGoonch catfish A massive river catfish native to South Asia.Catfish · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 1 morePengba A ray-finned fish native to Manipur and Myanmar.Carp · Rivers and lakes Schizothorax plagiostomus 🇨🇳 China and 4 moreSchizothorax plagiostomus A high-altitude cyprinid from the Himalayan rivers.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇦🇫 Afghanistan and 4 moreRita Large bagrid catfish from South Asian riversCatfish · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreZig-zag eel A large freshwater spiny eel native to South and Southeast Asia, known for its zigzag pattern and predatory habits.Eel · Rivers and lakes · 1777 🇮🇳 IndiaGangetic leaffish A small Asian fish found in slow rivers and ponds across South Asia.Other · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 2 moreFreshwater garfish A slender, toothed needlefish from Asian fresh waters.Other · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 3 moreTrout barb A slender carp living in fresh waters near the Bay of BengalCarp · Rivers and lakes 🇵🇰 Pakistan and 4 moreMola carplet A small freshwater fish from the Indian subcontinent valued as food.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇦🇫 Afghanistan and 4 moreOlive barb A cyprinid fish native to South and Southeast Asia.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 3 moreReba carp An edible freshwater fish native to South Asia.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreTor mahseer Large cyprinid fish of Himalayan rivers with record-sized scales.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreStriped snakehead A large freshwater food fish native to South and Southeast Asia.Other · Rivers and lakes 🇦🇺 Australia and 4 moreNarrow sawfish A rare ray with a toothed snout found in Indo-Pacific waters.Ray · Coasts and shelves 🇦🇺 Australia and 4 moreLongcomb sawfish A critically endangered sawfish with a toothed rostrum.Ray · Coasts and shelves 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreTor khudree A large freshwater carp native to Indian rivers, known for its silvery body and red fins.Carp · Rivers and lakes · 1838 🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 2 morePangas catfish Large shark catfish from South Asian rivers and estuaries.Catfish · Rivers and lakes · 1822 Long Whiskers Catfish 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreLong Whiskers Catfish A brackish water catfish with long barbels found in South and Southeast Asia.Catfish · Estuaries and mangroves 🇵🇰 Pakistan and 4 moreStriped dwarf catfish Small Asian catfish found in brackish waters and swamps.Catfish · Estuaries and mangroves 🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 4 morePabdah catfish Small spotted freshwater catfish from South AsiaCatfish · Rivers and lakes 🇵🇰 Pakistan and 3 moreKuria labeo A large freshwater carp native to South Asia.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreBata A slow-moving freshwater carp native to India and Bangladesh.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreBullseye snakehead Large air-breathing fish native to South Asia.Other · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreMagur catfish Freshwater airbreathing catfish from India and BangladeshCatfish · Rivers and lakes 🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 4 moreIlish Anadromous herring species prized as a delicacy in South Asia and the Middle East.Herring · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreMrigal carp A farmed freshwater carp native to South Asia.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreGanges shark Critically endangered river shark of South AsiaShark · Rivers and lakes · 1839 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreBoal Large freshwater catfish native to South and Southeast Asia.Catfish · Rivers and lakes
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Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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