Professional fisheries education in Tamil Nadu commenced with the establishment of the Department of Fisheries Science in 1975 under the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU). Inaugurating the Department, the then Minister of Fisheries observed that, “ this Department will form the nucleus for a fisheries faculty of the TNAU that will commence to impart education in Fisheries Science in a College to be located at a suitable place in the state of Tamil Nadu. The college will Turn out graduates, post-graduates and doctorates in various disciplines of the Fisheries faculty from whom the manpower required by the state Departments of Fisheries and Research Institutes as well as Fisheries – based Industries of the Country will be drawn” . Accordingly, the Fisheries

Professional fisheries education in Tamil Nadu commenced with the establishment of the Department of Fisheries Science in 1975 under the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU). Inaugurating the Department, the then Minister of Fisheries observed that, “ this Department will form the nucleus for a fisheries faculty of the TNAU that will commence to impart education in Fisheries Science in a College to be located at a suitable place in the state of Tamil Nadu. The college will Turn out graduates, post-graduates and doctorates in various disciplines of the Fisheries faculty from whom the manpower required by the state Departments of Fisheries and Research Institutes as well as Fisheries – based Industries of the Country will be drawn” . Accordingly, the Fisheries College was establishesd at Thoothukudi in 1977 as a constituent college of the TNAU, thanks to the admirable Efforts of the great visionary Dr. G . Rengasamy ,the first and then Vice – Chancellor of TNAU.

As envisaged by the Government ,the college started offering the four year Bachelor of Fisheries Science (B.F.Sc.)program in 1977, Master of Fisheries Science (M.F.Sc) in 1982 and Ph.D . in Fisheries Science in 1989. The college was brought Under the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Science University (TANUVAS) on 20.09.1989.

The Association of Fisheries College Alumni (AFCA) is a registered body Under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act. It was formed in 1984 with the following objectives.

i) To promote good will among the members

ii) To promote professional knowledge of the members

iii) To institute awards for fisheries students 

iv) To assist fresh members in getting jobs and

v) To strive for the welfare of the Alumni

AFCA ever since its inception, has been playing a vital role in the development of fisheries and its alumni. It has been instrumental in obtaining the G.O. which specifies that B.F.Sc is the basic qualification to the Fisheries Subordinate Service like Research Assistant, Inspector of Fisheries in the State Fisheries Department, in achieving pay parity for B.F.Sc. graduates with B.Sc (Ag)/ BVSc graduates and is placement services for AFCA alumni. AFCA is also releasing an annual AFCA newsletter. It is recognizing meritorious B.F.Sc. students by providing the DHARUN-AFCA Awards annually. It has become a global organization as its members are excelling professionally not only from east to west from north to south of the Country but also world over atleast in 25 countries

Till 2008,09, 552 B.F.Sc graduates passed out of AFCA college of which 431 were boys and 121 were girls. AFCA alumni have a strong presence in the private sector, numbering 117 Graduates of which 50 offer consultancy, 5 thier shrimp hatcheries and the rest serve the hatcheries / farms / processing plants. AFCA is the backbone of the industry in Andhra Pradesh which is the national hub of Indian fish/shrimp farming sector. Their service is laudable in contributing to the exports of the country . Many of AFCA alumni are working in Maldives as teachers and as teaching faculty in overseas universities

In the Fisheries College and Research Institute, Thoothukudi, there are seven Professor 25 Associate Professor and 6 Assistant Professors forming about 90% of the teaching staff in the fisheries faculty. Twenty Nine Alumni are in Central Government service. In the State Fisheries Department, 87 alumni are working in different cadres as Joint Directors of Fisheries ,Assistant Directors of Fisheries, Research Assistants and Inspector of Fisheries. In the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Development Corporation, there is one General Manager in the cadre of Joint Director of Fisheries and three Manager in the cadre of Assistant Directors of Fisheries. Three Alumni serve as R.D.O. s and one as Assistant Commissioner of police in the State Government. AFCA has 12 alumni in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands who serve as Superintendents of Fisheries, Technical Experts in the processing industry and in Fishing industry.

Many alumni work in MNCs, both in India and abroad at various levels. Three are in fisheries journalism, 41 in banks, insurance service and other public sector organizations .