The State is playing an important role by generating self-employment through fisheries in rural areas, which in turn provides nutritious food to rural folks. Fisheries business has generated an employment potential for about 2.1 Lakh persons; most of them belong to weaker section of the society.
Available Water Resources:
Main rivers Mahanadi, Indravati and their tributaries flow 3573 Km in the state and offer themselves in fishery development activities.
State has 59384 Rural Pond areas covering 0.751 Lakh ha and 1770 Irrigation Reservoir covering 0.826 Lakh hectare Water areas totaling to 1.577 Lakh hectare water area available for fisheries development at the end of 2013-14.
Out of the available Water Resources 0.68 lakh hectare rural pond area and 0.800 lakh hectare.Irrigation reservoir water area, thus totaling 1.483 lakh hectare water has already been brought under fish culture until 2013-14.
The developed water area under fish culture is shown in table:
| Type of Water Area | Area in Lakh hactare | % developed |
| Ponds | 0.68 | 91.% |
| Reservoirs | 0.80 | 97% |
| Total | 1.48 | 94.03 % |
Fish Production and productivity
States fisheries are mostly culture based in which Major carp fish group play a leading role. Availability of 59384 ponds covering 0.751 lakhs hectare water area is the main asset on which culture fisheries rest. So far, 98% of the area has been covered.
Annual fish production has recorded an average growth of 83.2% during 2007-08 to year 2013-14 Plan.
Fish production (in lakh tonnes)
Base year Current year
2007-08 2013-14
1.395 2.849
Resource wise contribution in fish production is stated below.
Total Fish Production 2.849 lakh ton Resource wise share
Ponds 93.44%
Reservoir 5.85 %
River 0.69 %
In Inland fish production status of India, Chhattisgarh stands on eighth position. There has been great improvement in per hectare yield from ponds. In year 2001-02 annual yield was 2970 kg/hectare. During 2013-14, it has reached 3439 kg/hectare, which is above the National average of 2300 kg (2007-08). There are large numbersof progressivepisciculturists in the state who are successfully harvesting seven to eight ton of fish of Indian major carps annually. Average production in reservoir are 185 kg./hectare/year which is above the national average of 69kg/hectare/year.
Extension
In addition to its field staff at the district and block level for providing technical and other support to fish farmers. The department also organized training programs within state and out of state study tours, exposure visits, establishment of demonstration units for education and awareness creation among fish farmers.
Employment Generation
At present 2.1 lakh fish farmer in the state are engaged in fisheries activities providing 142 lakh person-days of employment round the year. The department target to increase the number of fish farmers to 2.55 lakh providing employment of 178 lakh person-days by the end of year 2016-17.