UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — India’s Seafood Exports Reach Record High of ₹73,890 Crore in FY 2025–26

Q1. With reference to the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), which one of the following best describes the body that it replaced upon its constitution in 1972?

  • A. Marine Products Export Promotion Council, established in 1961
  • B. Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, established in 1957
  • C. Indian Council of Fisheries Research and Development, established in 1959
  • D. National Fisheries Development Board, established in 1966

Q2. The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) is a statutory body constituted under which one of the following?

  • A. The MPEDA Act, 1972, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • B. The MPEDA Act, 1972, under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying
  • C. The Coastal Aquaculture Authority Act, 2005, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • D. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act, 1985, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Q3. The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), which announced the record seafood exports of ₹73,890.46 crore for FY 2025-26, functions exclusively under which one of the following Union Ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • B. Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying
  • C. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
  • D. Ministry of Food Processing Industries

Q4. With reference to the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), which of the following is/are NOT among its stated objectives for the scheme period?

  1. Adding an additional fish production of 70 lakh metric tonnes by 2024-25
  2. Enhancing aquaculture productivity from the national average of 3 tonnes to 5 tonnes per hectare
  3. Increasing per capita fish consumption from 5-6 kg to about 12 kg
  4. Notifying a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all major marine products and procuring them through NAFED
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 4 only
  • C. 1 and 4
  • D. 3 only

Q5. The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), launched in 2020 with an outlay of ₹20,050 crore, is implemented by which one of the following Union Ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare
  • B. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • C. Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying
  • D. Ministry of Food Processing Industries

Q6. With reference to the Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) in India, which of the following statements is/are correct?

  1. It is native to the eastern Pacific Ocean, ranging from the coast of Mexico down to northern Peru.
  2. In India, its commercial farming is regulated by the Coastal Aquaculture Authority, which functions under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
  3. ICAR–Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA), Chennai, undertook the risk analysis that preceded its introduction for farming in India.
  4. Its commercial culture was permitted in India in 2009, subject to use of Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) broodstock through approved hatcheries.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1, 3 and 4 only
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q7. Under the Territorial Waters, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and Other Maritime Zones Act, 1976, the term 'Exclusive Economic Zone' of India refers to which one of the following?

  • A. The belt of sea up to 12 nautical miles from the baseline over which India exercises full territorial sovereignty
  • B. The belt of sea beyond and adjacent to the territorial waters extending up to 200 nautical miles from the baseline in which India has sovereign rights for exploring, exploiting, conserving and managing natural resources
  • C. The zone extending up to 24 nautical miles from the baseline in which India may exercise control to prevent infringement of customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws
  • D. The seabed and subsoil of submarine areas extending throughout the natural prolongation of India's land territory up to the outer edge of the continental margin

Q8. India's Deep Ocean Mission, which includes the Samudrayaan project and the Matsya-6000 manned submersible and supports the Blue Economy framework announced in the Union Budget 2025-26, is implemented by which one of the following?

  • A. Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying through the National Fisheries Development Board
  • B. Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways through the National Institute of Ocean Technology
  • C. Ministry of Earth Sciences through the National Institute of Ocean Technology
  • D. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change through the National Centre for Coastal Research

Q9. With reference to India's fisheries sector, consider the following statements:

  1. India is the world's second largest fish producer, contributing about 8% of global fish production.
  2. India is the world's largest aquaculture producer.
  3. India is the largest inland capture fish producing nation in the world as per FAO-SOFIA 2022.
  4. ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA), headquartered at Bhubaneswar, is the nodal institute for freshwater aquaculture.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • D. 3 only

Q10. Marine product exports from major Indian ports such as Visakhapatnam, Kochi and Jawaharlal Nehru Port are promoted by the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA). MPEDA, constituted under a 1972 statute, functions as a statutory body under which one of the following Union Ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying
  • B. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • C. Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
  • D. Ministry of Earth Sciences