The Kerala Fisheries department has awarded Kasaragod district the Fisheries department Excellence Award 2025, recognising its achievements in the fisheries sector under the Popular Fish Farming Project.

Kasaragod was adjudged the best district in the State, while two local fish farmers also securing awards in individual categories. Ravi P.P. from Padanna won the second place in the Best Backwater Fish Seed Production Farmer category and Sea Pearl Aquafarm of Kumbala secured the third place for Best Innovative Fish Farming.

The awards are part of the annual State Farmer Awards, instituted to honour exceptional contributions in aquaculture across Kerala.

According to the district administration, the recognition comes as a result of efficient implementation of fisheries schemes at the grassroots level.

District Collector K. Inbasekar thanked Deputy Director of Fisheries K.A. Labib, noting his role in guiding the district to success.

This latest accolade adds to Kasaragod’s growing list of State honours. The district had earlier won the Best District award in the Popular Fisheris Project Matsya Karshaka Award and the Best BMC award in the 2023 State Biodiversity Awards. Kasaragod’s District Panchayat BMS award also became the first in the country to declare a tree, flower and bird symbolising the district’s biodiversity.