The State of Assam is richly endowed with abundant natural resources including aquatic resources. Considering the immense potential for development of fishery sector in these aquatic resources, the then State Government in power had thought it appropriate to at least have a cell in the Government to coordinate the various activities of fisheries in the State, more so in the matter of settlement of fisheries even if it was for the limited purpose of earning revenue for the Government.

Accordingly, in the year 1948, a unit was created under the Department of Cottage Industries to look after all aspects of fisheries. Two years later the unit was taken out from the Cottage Industries Department and attached to the Agricultural Department. It continued to be so till 1963 when it was once again decided that the Department of Fishery be now shifted and attached to the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary. This arrangement continued till almost the end of the year 1991.

It was in December 1991, when the Government which was then in power took a hard look at state of development of fishery in the State and realized that the department which has suffered long years of neglect must now be given the importance it deserves for the economic development of the State as a whole and the fish farmers in the rural areas in particular. A decision which could be termed as momentous was accordingly taken for the creation of a separate Department of Fishery. In other words, Fishery Department now no longer functions under the shadow of its erstwhile big brother departments. It is now free to grow on its own from strength to strength and acquire the status it deserves.

The post of the Director of Fisheries was however created in the year 1968 when the cell was attached to the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary.