This document provides guidelines for proper handling and storage of fish to maximize shelf life: - Freshly caught fish must be cooled immediately and kept refrigerated until consumed to preserve quality. Maintaining an unbroken cold chain is important. - Different types of fish can be stored at temperatures from -10°C to -29°C, with storage times ranging from 1 month to 10 months depending on the fish and temperature. - Private export companies follow standards to freeze and store fish for extended domestic and international distribution, while lack of infrastructure limits domestic market reach. Developing a national cold chain could expand market access.

1. December 2008

2.  Freshly caught Fish need to be cooled as soon as possible and
remain in cold storage/refrigeration until consumed.
 An uninterrupted cold chain is important in preserving Fish
for longer periods and avoid losses and spoilage.

3. Type of Fish -10°C -18°C -20°C -23°C -25°C -29°C
White Fish (Gutted) 1 month 4 month 8 month
Smoked White Fish 1 month 3 months 7 month
Herring (Gutted) 1 month 3 months 6 month
Kippers 3 weeks 2 month 4 month
Whole Cooked Lobster 6 month
Cooked Lobster Meat 3 month
Whole Cooked Crab 4 month 8 month
Cooked Crab Meat 3 month 6 month
Mussel Meats 3 month 8 month
Cod, Haddock, Etc. 3-5 month 6-8 month 8-10 month
Flatfish 4-6 month 7-10 month
Fatty Fish 2-3 month 3-5 month 6 month
Lobster And Crab 2 month
Shrimp 6 month
Oysters 2-4 month
Scallops 3-4 month
Clams 3-4 month
Extended Shelf Life

4.  Private companies catering to export market follow
guidelines as laid by MPEDA and clients.
 Such companies have freezing and storage facilities and
implement quality and HACCP processes.
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
 Marine fish sold in domestic market is largely limited
due to lack of efficient cold chain infrastructure.
 Subsequent low shelf life of marine fish limits market to
coastal areas and associated higher price further inland.
 Opportunity exists for creating a complete cold chain
for Marine Fish sold in domestic market.

5.  Fishing boats prepare by loading on ice.
 Flake ice is brought to the boat prior departure.

6.  Flake ice is filled into boats hold or insulated boxes
for short term holding of the catch.
 The fish when caught are kept under layers of ice
until returning to port.

7.  Freshly caught fish is stored in the hold or boxes
under flaked ice.
After 7 Days
Ice still visible – core
temperature at 8 ºC
After 2 Days
Ice still visible – core
temperature at 0 ºC

8.  Re-icing into crates at local pack-house, usually run
by local fisheries department.
 Transport in open trucks with frequent re-icing
stops enroute.

9. Current retailing does not reach smaller towns and villages
 Retail price of Marine Fish ranges from Rs.70 a kg to
Rs. 700 a kg depending on the type and size of fish.

10. Period-wise Average Annual Growth Rate in Fish Production-India
Percentage Contribution of India to
and Rest of World
World Fish Production
(1950-1955, 1955-1960, 1960-1965, 1965-1970, 1970-1975, 1975-1980, 1980-1985,
1985-1991,1991-1992 to 2003-2004) (1950, 1955, 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1991
to 2004)
Period
India Rest of the World
Marine Inland Total Marine Inland Total India to World Fish Production (%)
Year
1950-55 2.77 2.96 2.82 7.34 10.46 7.71 Total Marine Inland
1955-60 8.11 3.02 6.73 5.52 1.85 5.08 1950 3.7 2.97 9.4
1960-65 -1.31 12.45 2.75 7.15 4.79 6.9 1955 2.93 2.39 6.62
1965-70 5.68 5.83 5.73 5.84 3.36 5.6
1960 3.17 2.69 7
1965 2.6 1.79 9.97
1970-75 6.42 3.13 5.21 0.07 2.7 0.31
1970 2.61 1.77 11.21
1975-80 0.97 2.57 1.53 2.02 2.16 2.04
1975 3.32 2.41 11.44
1980-85 2.36 4.15 3.02 3.55 6.92 3.91 1980 3.24 2.29 11.67
1985-91 5.36 7.18 6.08 0.76 4.13 1.19 1985 3.1 2.16 10.24
1991-92 5.1 3.93 4.62 1.96 7.05 2.67 1991 4.12 2.82 12.17
1992-93 6.53 12.21 8.84 2.34 10.79 3.56 1992 4.19 2.91 11.82
1993-94 4.48 3.06 3.89 7.14 11 7.74 1993 4.41 3.03 11.97
1994 4.25 2.95 11.11
1994-95 -1.5 10.46 3.47 1.65 12.8 3.42
1995 4.39 2.86 10.88
1995-96 5.66 5.64 5.66 1.89 9.76 3.25
1996 4.35 2.97 10.47
1996-97 1.34 4.95 2.94 0.76 7.21 1.95
1997 4.39 2.99 10.25
1997-98 -6.31 3.12 -2.04 -6.27 6.05 -3.88
1998 4.48 2.98 9.97
1998-99 3.08 9.24 6.01 7.42 7.88 7.52
1999 4.42 2.86 10.09
1999-00 0.14 3.39 1.73 2.38 5.22 2.99
2000 4.36 2.8 9.92
2000-01 2.74 4.58 3.66 -0.28 2.97 0.44 2001 4.5 2.89 10.07
2001-02 6.04 -5.06 0.46 1.38 4.23 2.02 2002 4.43 3.02 9.18
2002-03 0 3.59 1.7 -1.09 2.15 -0.35 2003 4.52 3.05 9.31
2003-04 -3.89 6.31 1.05 5.46 5.5 5.47 2004 4.33 2.78 9.38
India’s growth has not necessarily lagged in this industry, though scope stays immense

11. Production & Annual Growth Rate of Fish
(During 1st Plan to 10th Plan)
Fish Production at end Average
Growth (Percent) During
of the Period Annual
Plan Period the Plan Period
( ' 000 Tonne) Growth
Marine Inland Total Marine Inland Total Rate
Pre-Plan Period (1950-51) 534 218 752 - - - -
1st Plan (1951-56) 596 243 839 11.61 11.47 11.57 2.31
2nd Plan (1956-61) 880 280 1160 47.65 15.23 38.26 7.65
3rd Plan (1961-66) 824 507 1331 -6.36 81.07 14.74 2.95
Annual Plans (1966-69) 904 622 1526 9.71 22.68 14.65 4.88 State-wise Coastal Marine Fishery
4th Plan (1969-74) 1210 748 1958 33.85 20.26 28.31 5.66 Resources in India
5th Plan (1974-79) 1490 816 23.6 23.14 9.09 17.77 3.55 Approx Continental No. of No. of
Coast Line shelf (' 000 landing fishing
Annual Plan (1979-80) 1492 848 2340 0.13 3.92 1.47 1.47 State/UTs (Kms.) sq.km.) centres villages
6th Plan (1980-85) 1698 1103 2801 13.81 30.07 19.7 3.94 Andhra Pradesh 974 33 508 508
7th Plan (1985-90) 2275 1402 3677 33.98 27.11 31.27 6.25 Goa 104 10 88 72
Annual Plan (1990-91) 2300 1536 3836 1.1 9.56 4.32 4.32 Gujarat 1600 184 286 851
Annual Plan (1991-92) 2447 1710 4157 6.39 11.33 8.37 8.37 Karnataka 300 27 29 221
8th Plan (1992-97) 2967 2381 5348 30.42 69.83 45.44 6.49 Kerala (P) 590 40 226 222
9th Plan (1997-02) 2830 3126 5956 -4.62 31.29 11.37 2.27 Maharashtra 720 112 184 395
10th Plan (2002-03) 2990 3210 6200 5.65 2.69 4.1 4.1 Orissa 480 26 63 329
10th Plan (2003-04) 2941 3458 6399 -1.64 7.73 3.21 3.21 Tamil Nadu 1076 41 362 556
10th Plan (2004-05) 2779 3526 6305 -5.51 1.97 -1.47 -1.47 West Bengal 158 17 47 652
And & Nico
10th Plan (2005-06) 2816 3756 6572 1.33 6.52 4.23 4.23 Islands (P) 1912 35 57 45
Daman & Diu (P) 27 - 7 31
Lakshadweep (P) 132 4 11 10
Pondicherry 45 1 28 45
Total 8118 530 1896 3937

12. State-wise Inland Fish Production in India
(2000-2001 to 2006-2007)
(Tonne)
2000- 2001- 2002- 2003- 2004- 2005- 2006-
States/ UTs 01* 02* 03* 04* 05* 6 07*$
Andhra Pradesh 407186 471 65
1 579402 680710 642321 67225 616.73
Arunachal Pradesh 2500 2600 2604 2650 2704 275 2.77
Assam 158620 1 450
61 165521 1 000
81 186314 18801 1 .48
81
Bihar 222160 240400 261000 266490 267510 27953 267.04
Goa 4240 3368 4247 3600 4231 404 3.43
Gujarat 40261 50774 34267 45480 50426 6993 76.82
Haryana 33040 334568 35182 39130 42050 4820 60.08
Himachal Pradesh 7020 7215 7244 6530 6901 730 6.89
Jammu & Kashmir 1 0
751 18850 19750 19750 1 00
91 1 5
91 19.2
Karnataka 127468 1 1
21 96 86263 70000 80000 12060 123.92
Kerala 85234 78039 75036 76180 76451 7798 79.57
Madhya Pradesh 48844 47457 42168 50820 62060 6108 65.04
Maharashtra 123266 122785 127236 1 20
251 130250 13520 1 .85
31
Manipur 16050 16450 16600 17600 17800 1822 18.61
Meghalaya 6179 4968 5372 5150 5638 412 5.49
Mizoram 2860 3147 3250 3380 3680 375 3.76
Nagaland 5500 5200 5500 5560 4900 550 5.8
Orissa 138556 168056 172527 190020 193657 20324 213.9
Punjab 52000 58000 66000 83650 77700 8564 86.7
Rajasthan 1 21
21 14269 25600 14300 16391 1850 22.2
Sikkim 140 140 140 140 140 15 0.15
Tamil Nadu 1 3560
1 1 4000
1 102000 1 1
01 40 1 734
51 15504 155.03
Tripura 29420 29450 29515 17980 19838 2387 28.63
Uttar Pradesh 208286 225371 249837 267000 277074 28958 306.76
West Bengal 879230 915800 938500 988000 1035500 109000 1 81
1
Andaman & Nicobar Islands 66 61 74 90 83 5 0.08
Chandigarh 82 44 84 80 84 9 0.17
Dadra & Nagar Haveli 43 55 46 50 48 5 0.05
Daman & Diu 0 0 0 0 0 7 0.06
Delhi 3980 3200 2250 2100 1 0
41 70 0.61
Lakshadweep 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Pondicherry 4350 4900 4910 5200 5250 218 6.05
Chhatisgarh** 43386 95763 99801 11
1 050 120072 1 75
31 137.75
Uttaranchal** 9074 6422 2552 2560 2566 279 3.03
Jharkhand** 43600 1 000
01 45380 75380 22000 3427 34.27
Deep Sea Fishing 0 0 0 0 - - -
India 2845832 3126163 3209858 3457890 3525883 375558 3844.89

14. Sea Food Domestic
Exports market
Seafood Export Industry in India has a Largely ignored.
turnover of about USD 9 Billion.
Traditionally non-fish households fast
changing over last two years.
Approx 400 processing plants focused
on exports.
Losses enroute causes price
differentials, effecting market
opportunity.
Most of the export is focused on USA. Frozen seafood easily accepted
compared to frozen meats or
vegetables by hinterland consumer.

15. Minimal competition
for domestic market –
traditionally export
oriented.
Implement best Quality & traditional
practices and efficient spoilage fears keep
cold-chain consumer at bay –
management reduces quality and brand will
losses. make impact.
Increasing local
demand specially in
hinterland. Perceived
value add.

16. Safe shelf-life:
secure sales.
Brand
Advantage:
HACCP
Cold Reduced
losses: reduced
compliant safe to
brand.
Chain prices.
Acceptability:
Frozen sea food
accepted food.

17. Risks perceived
Logistics - demand to grow
Lack of Infrastructure to Energy Costs during storage,
in North and central India,
process store and market. processing and transport.
distant from coastal areas.
Advantages
Capital expenditure New markets, adds to Modernise with
adds value. consumer base. hybrid technologies.