Honouring hands that ensure the nation’s protein security

The ICAR–Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CIFRI), Barrackpore, celebrated National Fish Farmers Day 2026 with enthusiasm, bringing together policymakers, scientists, fish farmers, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders to honour the invaluable contribution of India’s fishers to food, nutrition and livelihood security.

National Fish Farmers Day commemorates the historic achievement of Prof. Hiralal Chaudhury and his team, who successfully developed the induced breeding technique for Indian major carps on July 10, 1957. The breakthrough, achieved under the then Central Inland Fisheries Research Station (now ICAR-CIFRI), laid the foundation for India’s Blue Revolution.

The programme was inaugurated by Shri Rajesh Mahata, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge), Department of Animal Resources Development & Fisheries, Government of West Bengal. Among the distinguished guests were Shri Yadav Suryabhan Achchhelal, IAS, Sub-Divisional Officer, Barrackpore, and Dr. Tapas Ghosal, Head, ICAR-CIFE Regional Centre.

More than 120 participants, including 49 women fishers and fish farmers, attended the event. Nine progressive fish farmers, including two women from West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh, were felicitated for their outstanding contributions to inland fisheries. ICAR-CIFRI also released several scientific publications during the programme.

Addressing the gathering, Shri Mahata urged fish farmers to adopt modern technologies developed by ICAR-CIFRI and benefit from schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). He praised the institute’s role in advancing sustainable fisheries, innovation and farmer empowerment. Shri Yadav highlighted the need for stronger collaboration among research institutions, government agencies and fishing communities, while Dr. Tapas Ghosal emphasised scientific innovation and technology dissemination for sustainable fisheries development.

In his presidential address, Dr. Pradip Dey, Director, ICAR-CIFRI, reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to developing climate-resilient, farmer-centric technologies that enhance productivity, conserve aquatic biodiversity and strengthen livelihoods while contributing to the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

A Scientist–Fisher Interaction Meeting, supported by the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Hyderabad, enabled fishers to discuss field-level challenges with scientists. A Creative Solutions Lab explored strategies for scaling fisheries technologies through convergence with government programmes. The celebration concluded with a collective pledge to strengthen partnerships for a resilient and sustainable inland fisheries sector.