India is the world's second major producer of fish, and in the hope of a "blue revolution", scientists in India are working to convert wastelands and paddy fields into fish ponds, to encourage the cultivation of fish.

Many small and trivial farmers in the north Indian state of Punjab have taken to fish farming. The state produces 6,100 kilogrammes of fish per hectare - one of the maximum yields in the country.

The state government is aiming to bring about 10,000 hectares of area beneath fish cultivation. The state has set up a College of Fisheries, which supports farmers during integrated teaching, research and extension programmes.

Dr Asha Dhawan, Professor and Head, Department of Aquaculture, Punjab College of Fisheries, said, "There is a enormous wasteland located in Ferozpur, Muktsar, Bhatinda and Faridkot districts of Punjab. This is non-agricultural and zero earning land. The College of Fisheries in the university is working to change this wasteland into fish ponds. The farmers are not able to do farming there."

India ranks number two in the world in fish manufacture and exports to nearly 100 countries. In 2009, exports hit nearly US$2 billion. But the seafood industry is not doing well since it merely supplies raw marine products, which are then processed overseas and then sold as ready-to-eat or finished products in the market for a higher value.

Often, fresh catches are exhausted due to a lack of skill like cold storages, ice facilities, mechanisation of boats, and storage capacities at the harbour. "China produces fish in rice farms and if that expertise comes to India, we can grow faster. Basically, we are not utilising our waters properly, whereas China does so. We can contend with China in fish production if we adopt water management technologies." But analysts said that the enforcement of the catch certification norms will effect in better quality monitoring and help to ban any illegal, unrestricted and unregulated fishing in India.