{"id":88413,"date":"2026-11-10T18:00:23","date_gmt":"2026-11-10T12:30:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=88413"},"modified":"2026-11-10T18:00:26","modified_gmt":"2026-11-10T12:30:26","slug":"island-fisheries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/10-11-2026\/island-fisheries","title":{"rendered":"Island Fisheries at the Centre of India\u2019s Blue Economy Push"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/ Economy\/ Animal Husbandry<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Union Government is focusing on island fisheries to unlock India&#8217;s marine fisheries potential, particularly in tuna, seaweed and ornamental fisheries.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Potential of India\u2019s Fisheries Sector<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India has a coastline of about <strong>11,098.81 km<\/strong>, of which 3,083.50 km is along the <strong>Andaman &amp; Nicobar (A&amp;N) Islands<\/strong> and 144.8 km is along <strong>Lakshadweep.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The country has a large network of fisheries with <strong>1,537 fish landing sites <\/strong>and <strong>3,432 fishing villages(settlements).<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India is the<strong> second largest fish producing country<\/strong> in the world accounting for about<strong> 8 per cent<\/strong> of the world&#8217;s fish production.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>India\u2019s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) <\/strong>has over <strong>2.02 million sq. km<\/strong> with an estimated<strong> annual marine fisheries potential of 7.16 million tonnes<\/strong>, according to NITI Aayog.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Seafood export<\/strong> from India was worth over <strong>\u20b973,890 crore in FY 2025-26.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Significance of Island Fisheries for India&#8217;s Blue Economy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Untapped Marine Resources:<\/strong> The two island groups together account for nearly 40% of India&#8217;s EEZ, providing access to rich oceanic fishing grounds and tuna migration routes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Export Potential: <\/strong>High-value species such as tuna strengthen India&#8217;s position in the global seafood market.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Diversification of Fisheries: <\/strong>Seaweed cultivation and ornamental fisheries expand income opportunities beyond traditional capture fisheries.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strategic Importance:<\/strong> Their location in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal strengthens India&#8217;s maritime presence and ocean-based economic activities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Government initiatives\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA):<\/strong> It facilitates technology upgradation, market development, and quality certification.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>National Marine Fisheries Action Plan (NMFAP): <\/strong>The plan includes measures to improve fishery resources assessment, enhance infrastructure and technology in the fisheries sector, and promote aquaculture development.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY):<\/strong> It was implemented to bring the Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible development of the fisheries sector in India from <strong>FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone Rules, 2025,<\/strong> establish a formal legal and regulatory framework for <strong>deep-sea and offshore fishing<\/strong> across<strong> India&#8217;s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) <\/strong>extending from <strong>12 to 200 nautical miles.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-dominant-color=\"b9cce4\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #b9cce4;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"607\" height=\"293\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/11\/image-45.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-88414\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/11\/image-45.png 607w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/11\/image-45-300x145.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 607px) 100vw, 607px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Focus on the A&amp;N and Lakshadweep Islands<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands<\/strong> account for 6.6 lakh sq km of EEZ, roughly one-third of India\u2019s total maritime zone.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>A dedicated \u201ctuna cluster\u201d <\/strong>has been notified, which includes on-board processing and freezing facilities, licensing of deep-sea tuna vessels, and a single-window clearance system administered by the Andaman &amp; Nicobar Administration.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Lakshadweep Islands<\/strong> cover an<strong> EEZ of 4 lakh sq km, about 17%<\/strong> of India\u2019s total EEZ, along with a lagoon area of <strong>4,200 sq km.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Lakshadweep has been notified as a <strong>dedicated seaweed cluster.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The government has placed a major strategic focus on establishing medium-scale ornamental fish rearing units in Lakshadweep.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges in Developing Island Fisheries<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Ecological Fragility: <\/strong>Coral reefs, lagoons and marine biodiversity are vulnerable to overfishing, habitat degradation and unsustainable fishing practices.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Climate Change: <\/strong>Rising sea temperatures, ocean acidification and coral bleaching can affect fish populations and marine ecosystems.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Infrastructure Gaps: <\/strong>Limited cold storage, processing facilities, transportation and connectivity increase post-harvest losses.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Limited Technical Capacity:<\/strong> Traditional fishers lack access to modern fishing technologies, scientific information and improved preservation techniques.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Market Access Constraints: <\/strong>Distance from major seafood markets and inadequate export infrastructure limit the competitiveness of island-based fisheries.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Risk of Overexploitation:<\/strong> Expansion of commercial fishing without scientific stock assessment can threaten the long-term sustainability of marine resources.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Ahead<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Invest in modern harbours,<\/strong> cold-chain logistics, and processing facilities to reduce post-harvest losses and enhance export competitiveness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Expand training and skill development programmes<\/strong> for traditional and small-scale fishers to enable their participation in deep-sea and High Seas fishing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Adopt science-based fishing practices,<\/strong> regular assessment of fish stocks and regulated fishing to prevent overexploitation of marine resources.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pib.gov.in\/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2334511&amp;reg=3&amp;lang=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>PIB<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong> Context<\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> The Union Government is focusing on island fisheries to unlock India&#8217;s marine fisheries potential, particularly in tuna, seaweed and ornamental fisheries.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong> Potential of India\u2019s Fisheries Sector<\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> India has a coastline of about 11,098.81 km, of which 3,083.50 km is along the Andaman &#038; Nicobar (A&#038;N) Islands and 144.8 km is along Lakshadweep.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> The country has a large network of fisheries with 1,537 fish landing sites and 3,432 fishing villages(settlements).<\/li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/10-11-2026\/island-fisheries\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-88413","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88413","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=88413"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88413\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":88417,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88413\/revisions\/88417"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=88413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=88413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=88413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}