Top India Fish Catches

India boasts one of the world’s largest and most diverse fishing industries, ranking among the top fish-producing nations globally. The country’s vast coastline, extensive river systems, and numerous inland water bodies support both marine and inland fisheries. Major fish catches include Indian major carps (such as rohu, catla, and mrigal), hilsa, and a variety of marine species like Indian mackerel, oil sardine, ribbonfish, and prawns. The fishing industry in India has ancient roots, with traditional fishing communities practicing artisanal methods for centuries. Since the mid-20th century, the sector has rapidly modernized, especially with the advent of mechanized boats and aquaculture, making India a significant exporter of seafood, particularly shrimp. Today, fisheries play a crucial role in food security, employment, and export earnings, with both capture fisheries and aquaculture contributing substantially to the nation’s economy.

Rank	Fish Species	Metric Tons
1	Cyprinids nei	770,046
2	Freshwater fishes nei	730,252
3	Indian mackerel	328,853
4	Clupeoids nei	252,702
5	Indian oil sardine	251,257
6	Hairtails, scabbardfishes nei	226,554
7	Marine fishes nei	217,792
8	Threadfin and dwarf breams nei	198,733
9	Snakeheads(=Murrels) nei	196,094
10	Natantian decapods nei	183,187
11	Scads nei	163,375
12	Giant tiger prawn	163,343
13	Jacks, crevalles nei	141,149
14	Marine molluscs nei	124,119
15	Various squids nei	109,253
16	Freshwater siluroids nei	100,831
17	Croakers, drums nei	91,192
18	Stolephorus anchovies nei	88,565
19	Lizardfishes nei	76,377
20	Cuttlefish, bobtail squids nei	73,832
21	Anchovies, etc. nei	68,584
22	Bigeyes nei	68,534
23	Sea catfishes nei	62,873
24	Ponyfishes(=Slipmouths) nei	59,189
25	Bombay-duck	56,397
26	Marine crabs nei	50,202
27	Groupers nei	49,010
28	Kawakawa	45,260
29	Barracudas nei	43,309
30	Jack and horse mackerels nei	35,413
31	Green seaweeds	31,277
32	Flatfishes nei	30,425
33	Penaeus shrimps nei	29,880
34	Sharks, rays, skates, etc. nei	28,474
35	Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel	27,334
36	Silver pomfret	22,816
37	Octopuses, etc. nei	22,532
38	Skipjack tuna	22,286
39	Goatfishes	20,881
40	Black pomfret	20,391
41	Wolf-herrings nei	20,207
42	Pike-congers nei	18,226
43	Mullets nei	17,873
44	Yellowfin tuna	17,249
45	Hilsa shad	16,941
46	Indo-Pacific king mackerel	15,316
47	Emperors(=Scavengers) nei	12,746
48	Carangids nei	12,041
49	Red seaweeds	11,713
50	Snappers, jobfishes nei	11,512

Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.