¨
India
will host the World Seafood Congress (WSC) 2026 in Chennai.
¨ This will be the first time the event is held
in the country.
¨ The WSC is a major global platform focused on
seafood trade, safety, sustainability, and innovation.
¨ The 2026 Congress is being co-organised by
the Department of Fisheries and the International Association of Fish
Inspectors (IAFI).
¨ IAFI is a United Nations-recognised
non-governmental organisation.
¨ PDA Ventures Pvt. Ltd. will host the event.
The National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) will act as co-organiser.
¨ Multiple Indian ministries and institutions
are supporting the Congress.
¨ These include MPEDA, NITI Aayog, ICAR-CIBA,
ICAR-CMFRI, IMIA, and others.
¨ The Indian Council of Agricultural Research
(ICAR) is the technical partner.
¨ International agencies like FAO, UNIDO, and
WorldFish are also involved.
¨ Organisers see this Congress as a key
opportunity to showcase India’s seafood sector. It will also help foster new
international partnerships.
¨ India is the sixth-largest seafood exporter
in the world. It is also the second-largest producer of fish through
aquaculture.
¨ In 2023–24, India exported 1.78 million
tonnes of seafood. The exports were valued at ₹60,523.89 crore, or around USD
7.38 billion.
¨ India’s total fish production reached 18.40
million tonnes in the same year.
¨ FAO projects that global seafood trade will
grow to USD 183.8 billion by 2025.
¨
Algae
product exports are expected to hit USD 15 billion in 2025.
