The Marine Fisheries Census (MFC) 2025 was officially launched on 31 October 2025 at ICAR–CMFRI, Kochi, by the Union Minister of State for Fisheries.

About Marine Fisheries Census (MFC) 2025

• MFC 2025 is the fifth edition of the national marine fisheries census which has been conducted every 5 years since 2005.
• 2025 Slogan: “Smart Census, Smarter Fisheries”
• Coverage: It will cover 1.2 million fisher households across 4,000–5,000 marine fishing villages in 13 coastal States/UTs, including Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.
• Nodal Agency: ICAR–Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Kochi, Kerala.
• Operational Partner: Fishery Survey of India (FSI).
• Coordinating Ministry: Department of Fisheries (DoF), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
• Funding Source: Fully funded under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).

Unique Features of MFC 2025

• First-ever fully digital Marine Census with real-time data flow from field to central servers.
• Covers socio-economic, infrastructural, and institutional data, including:
  • Household income, ownership, liabilities, credit sources, and insurance.
  • Impact of COVID-19 and coverage under PMMSY and PM-MKSSY.
  • Mapping of Fish Farmer Producer Organisations (FFPOs) and Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
• Powered by VYAS mobile application suite, developed by CMFRI:
• • VYAS–NAV: Validation of fishing villages and harbours.
  • VYAS–BHARAT: Household and infrastructure enumeration.
  • VYAS–SUTRA: Real-time supervision, verification, and monitoring.
• Drone technology used for aerial validation and neutral verification of fishing crafts.
• Includes geo-tagging and live monitoring dashboards for enhanced accuracy and transparency
• National Fisheries Development Portal (NFDP):
  • Fishers must register on NFDP to access government benefits under PM-MKSSY.
  • Registration is facilitated through Common Service Centres (CSCs).

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Significance

• Ensures accurate, transparent, and efficient data collection and analysis.
• Provides an evidence-based foundation for:
  • Policy planning and welfare scheme targeting.
  • Infrastructure and livelihood development in coastal regions.
  • Climate-resilient and inclusive growth of marine communities.

Conclusion

The Marine Fisheries Census 2025 marks a transformative step toward digital, data-driven, and inclusive fisheries governance, strengthening India’s efforts toward sustainable and climate-resilient blue economy growth.

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