CMFRI Kochi Explained: India's Fish Counters, and a Museum You Can Visit

The ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has had its headquarters in Kochi since 1971, and it is the body that counts India's marine fish catch: its estimate for 2025, released on 30 April 2026, put India's marine fish landings at 35.7 lakh tonnes, up 3% on 2024, with Kerala third among the states. For ordinary Kochi residents its most useful door is the National Marine Biodiversity Museum at its Ernakulam North campus, open on weekdays with tickets of Rs 20 for adults, as of September 2026.

• What is CMFRI?
• Why is CMFRI in Kochi?
• What do CMFRI's fish landing numbers say?
• Is the CMFRI museum open to the public?
• What does CMFRI do beyond counting fish?

What is CMFRI?

CMFRI was set up by the Government of India on 3 February 1947 under the Ministry of Agriculture and joined the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in 1967. It researches marine fisheries across capture fishing, mariculture, biotechnology and biodiversity. Its reach is national: besides the Kochi headquarters it runs 4 regional centres, at Mangalore, Mandapam, Visakhapatnam and Vizhinjam, and 7 regional stations, at Veraval, Calicut, Mumbai, Karwar, Tuticorin, Madras and Digha.

Why is CMFRI in Kochi?

It was not always. From 1949 the institute was headquartered at Mandapam Camp in Tamil Nadu, in a former naval hospital complex converted into laboratories. In 1971 the headquarters moved to Cochin, and Mandapam became its largest regional centre. Its postal address is Ernakulam North PO, Kochi 682018. For a city that has lived off the sea for centuries, from the port on Willingdon Island to the fishing harbours of West Kochi, it is a fitting home.

What do CMFRI's fish landing numbers say?

CMFRI runs the National Marine Fisheries Data Centre, which holds over 9 million records of catch and fishing effort, and it developed the stratified multistage random sampling method used to estimate the catch. Its 2025 figures, released on 30 April 2026:

Measure (2025)	Figure
India's marine fish landings	35.7 lakh tonnes, up 3% on 2024
Top state	Tamil Nadu, 6.85 lakh tonnes
Kerala	3rd, up 2% on 2024
Top species nationally	Indian mackerel 2.70 lakh t, cephalopods 2.57 lakh t, oil sardine 2.53 lakh t
Pelagic share of catch	54%
Kerala's marketing efficiency	72.83%, the highest of any state

That last figure is the one Kochi shoppers should notice: by CMFRI's measure, Kerala's fish marketing is more efficient than any other state's. If you want to put the numbers to use, our guide to where to eat seafood in Kochi is the delicious end of the chain.

Is the CMFRI museum open to the public?

Yes, and it is one of the most underrated rainy-day outings in the city. The National Marine Biodiversity Museum sits in a separate annexe behind the main headquarters building. The practical details, as of September 2026:

• Collection: 2,748 specimens, 1,266 of them fishes; designated a National Repository in December 2007.
• Hours: 9.30 am to 4.30 pm, Monday to Friday.
• Tickets: Rs 20 for adults, Rs 10 for students.
• Groups: school, college and university groups need advance permission from the Director.
• Phone: +91 484 2394357.

The weekday-only hours are a genuine nuisance for working families, so it is best saved for a school holiday or a day off. CMFRI has also opened a Marine Megafauna Museum, which displays the 14-metre skeleton of a Bryde's whale that stranded at Kozhikode in October 2023. For more indoor ideas, see our rainy-day list.

What does CMFRI do beyond counting fish?

A lot of its work is about growing fish rather than catching them. CMFRI has identified 146 sites within 10 km of the coast suitable for sea farming, with a potential of 21.3 lakh tonnes of fish a year. Those sites suit sea-cage farming of fish Kerala kitchens know well, such as karimeen (pearl spot), kalanji (sea bass) and motha (cobia). CMFRI also sells hatchery-produced fish seed through its regional centres, and it markets health supplements under the Cadalmin brand. More on Kochi's working institutions is in Business.