Fisheries in Tamil Nadu is an important economic activity and a flourishing sector with varied resources and potentials. Tamil Nadu is a leading state with Marine, Inland and Coastal waters with rich biodiversity of aquatic fauna and flora. The sector plays an important role in the socio-economic development of the state by providing livelihood to large number of fishers and fish farmers, generating employment opportunities in allied sectors and ensuring nutritional security. Tamil Nadu is blessed with 1,076 km long coast line along the 13 coastal districts and forms the second longest coastline in the country. The State is endowed with a total area of about 3.83 lakh ha of fresh water resources consisting of rivers, fresh water lakes, reservoirs, minor irrigation tanks, ponds etc. The state is bestowed with 56,000 ha of nutrient rich backwaters, creeks, brackishwater suitable for Coastal aquaculture. The total fish production of Tamil Nadu is 7.12 lakh MT and ranks fourth position in the total fish production of the Nation. Government recognises the importance of aquaculture and its role in sustainable production of food fish, as the natural fish resources become further challenged and wild stocks under pressure. Since the level of capture fish production have stagnated over the past decades, the world will be more dependent on aquaculture in the coming decades. TamilNadu contributes to the food sector through Freshwater, Brackishwater and Mariculture and the contribution of aquaculture has gone up in total fish production.