Bihar targets 20,000 aquaculture units to boost fisheries and rural incomes

The Bihar government is set to significantly scale up its fisheries sector through the Bihar Aquaculture Improvement Programme (BAIP), which aims to develop nearly 20,000 aquaculture units over a period of three years and nine months beginning December 2025.  According to Kapil Shirsat Ashok, Secretary, Dairy, Fisheries and Animal Resources Department, Government of Bihar, the initiative is designed to address persistent structural challenges such as low productivity, fragmented production systems, weak market linkages and the limited adoption of modern aquaculture practices. The programme forms part of the state’s broader push to transform fisheries into a technology-enabled, income-oriented and high-productivity sector.  BAIP will establish a network of nursery ponds, grow-out ponds and brooder farms across Bihar’s agro-climatic zones, with interventions tailored to local ecological conditions. The approach is intended to ensure scalable and sustainable growth while accommodating regional diversity in aquaculture practices.  The rollout will follow a phased, district-specific strategy. The first phase will cover nine districts — East Champaran, Begusarai, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Purnea, Bhagalpur and Banka — spanning North Bihar, Mithilanchal and eastern regions. The second phase, beginning December 2027, will expand to West Champaran, Nalanda, Siwan, Saran, Kaimur and Rohtas, extending the programme’s footprint across key aquaculture geographies. ...