Indian fisheries has made great strides during last five decades with the production levels increasing from 750,000 tonnes of fish in 1950-51 to 6.4 million tons in 2005-2006, of which the contribution from the inland sector is around 3.3 million tons (51.6% of the total) compared to 3.10 million tons (48.4%) from the marine sector. The contribution of fisheries to the gross domestic product (GDP) and agriculture GDP has been estimated to be 1.2 and 4.2%, respectively. India ranks second in world inland fish production, next to China. The growth rate of inland and marine sector at present is 6.6 and 2.2%, respectively. The anticipated growth rate during the tenth five-year plan (2002-2007) for inland and marine fisheries are 8.0% and 2.5%, respectively.

Indian freshwater aquaculture has evolved itself from the stage of a domestic activity in the Eastern States of West Bengal and Orissa to that of industry and has become an important component of Indian fisheries contributing about one third of total fish production of the country and share about 95% of the total aquaculture production. The mean national fish production levels from tanks and ponds have increased significantly from 600 kg/ha during the 1970’s to 2,200 kg/ha in the 1990s. In some areas such as the states of Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Punjab and Haryana yield has increased even to 8,000-10,000 kg/ha. Demonstrations on intensive composite carp culture practices had shown a maximum production of 15,000