India’s attempt to Harness its Marine Fisheries Potential

Syllabus: GS3/ Agriculture and Animal Husbandry

Context

• The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying recently released draft rules and guidelines to enable “sustainable” fishing in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the High Seas.

Potential of India’s Fisheries Sector

• India has a coastline of approximately 11,098.81 km, with 1,457 landing centres and 3,461 fishing villages, providing a strong base for fisheries development.
• India is the third largest fish-producing country in the world accounting for 8% of global production in 2022-2023.
• The country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) spans nearly 2 million sq km, with an estimated annual potential of 5.31 million metric tonnes (MMT) of capture fisheries.
  • India’s marine fish catch was recorded at 44.95 lakh tonnes in 2023-24 and 44.32 lakh tonnes in 2022-23.
• High-value tuna and tuna-like species have been identified as a major area for growth, particularly for exports.

Key Features of the New Regulatory Framework

• The draft guidelines mandate that no Indian-flagged vessel can fish in the High Seas without a Letter of Authorisation (LOA).
  • The LOA will be valid for three years, ensuring regulatory oversight for a defined period.
• The framework prohibits Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, aligning India with global fisheries governance standards.
• Indian vessels are required to comply with the conservation and management measures of Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs), including:
  • Catch limits,
  • Gear restrictions,
  • Bycatch mitigation,
  • Fish Aggregation Device (FAD) management,
  • Voyage reporting requirements.
• The guidelines also provide for training and capacity-building programmes to help small-scale and traditional fishers participate in High Seas fishing and strengthen value-chain efficiencies.

Focus on Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands

• The Andaman & Nicobar Islands account for 6.6 lakh sq km of EEZ, roughly one-third of India’s total maritime zone.
  • A dedicated “tuna cluster” has been notified, which includes: On-board processing and freezing facilities, Licensing of deep-sea tuna vessels, A single-window clearance system administered by the Andaman & Nicobar Administration.
• The Lakshadweep Islands cover an EEZ of 4 lakh sq km, about 17% of India’s total EEZ, along with a lagoon area of 4,200 sq km.
  • Development plans for Lakshadweep aim at harnessing opportunities in tuna fisheries, aquaculture, and sustainable lagoon-based fishing systems, making the islands a key hub for marine resource development.

What are the challenges?

• There is overexploitation of nearshore fisheries while offshore and deep-sea potential remains underutilised.
• Traditional and small-scale fishers face limitations in accessing technology, capital, and training needed for High Seas fishing.
• Infrastructure gaps such as inadequate cold chains, harbours, and modern processing facilities reduce efficiency and export potential.
• Environmental concerns, including bycatch, coral reef degradation, and unsustainable fishing gear, pose ecological risks.
• Monitoring and enforcement against IUU fishing require stronger surveillance mechanisms and institutional capacity.

Government initiatives

• Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA): It facilitates technology upgradation, market development, and quality certification.
• National Marine Fisheries Action Plan (NMFAP): The plan includes measures to improve fishery resources assessment, enhance infrastructure and technology in the fisheries sector, and promote aquaculture development.
• Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY): It was implemented to bring the Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible development of the fisheries sector in India from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25.
• Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF): It was implemented to create a fund to address the infrastructure requirement for the fisheries sector.
• Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme was extended in the 2018-19 to fisheries and animal husbandry farmers to help them meet their working capital requirements.

Way Ahead

• Strengthening Infrastructure: Invest in modern harbours, cold-chain logistics, and processing facilities to reduce post-harvest losses and enhance export competitiveness.
• Promoting Value Addition and Exports: Focus on high-value species such as tuna by creating robust value chains, on-board processing, and global market linkages.
• Capacity-Building for Fishers: Expand training and skill development programmes for traditional and small-scale fishers to enable their participation in deep-sea and High Seas fishing.

Source: IE