The Centre has approved a ₹199.24 crore project to develop a Smart and Integrated Fishing Harbour at Mayabunder in North and Middle Andaman, marking a major push to modernise fisheries infrastructure and unlock the marine potential of the Islands.
The project has been cleared by the Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying with 100 per cent Central financial assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). The proposed harbour will be developed in line with the Blue Port Initiative, integrating technology-driven systems and sustainable practices.
Designed as a next-generation fisheries facility, the harbour will provide safe landing and berthing facilities for around 430 fishing vessels and handle an estimated annual fish landing of 9,900 tonnes. It will feature IoT-enabled systems, energy-efficient infrastructure, improved fish-handling capacity, digital traceability and enhanced operational safety.
Officials said the project is expected to generate significant employment across the fisheries value chain, enhance incomes of stakeholders and strengthen livelihoods in the region. It is also aimed at promoting environmentally responsible practices and supporting efforts to curb Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands hold a vast marine resource base with an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of about 6 lakh sq km. The region has an estimated 60,000 metric tonnes of tuna and tuna-like species, including substantial stocks of Yellowfin and Skipjack tuna, making it strategically important for India’s tuna-focused fisheries expansion.
To accelerate investment and value-chain development, the Department of Fisheries had earlier organised an investors’ meet on fisheries and aquaculture opportunities in the Islands. A Tuna Cluster has also been notified under PMMSY to strengthen infrastructure, training and global competitiveness.
Nationally, the fisheries sector has seen rapid growth, supported by large-scale public investments in production, infrastructure and post-harvest systems. The approval of the Mayabunder harbour is being seen as a strategic intervention to strengthen export-oriented marine development and position the Islands as a key fisheries hub.
Alongside this flagship project, PMMSY interventions in the Islands have already supported hatcheries, ponds, ornamental fisheries, cold-chain logistics, transport facilities and welfare measures for traditional fisher families, creating a broader ecosystem for sustainable fisheries-led growth in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
