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India announces new deep-sea fishing rules — Here's what it means for fishermen, cooperatives
Livemint | English | News | Nov. 10, 2025 | Regulation
The Indian government has introduced new deep-sea fishing regulations to harness the potential of the country's vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and empower fishermen, cooperatives, and small-scale fishers. These rules, effective from November 4, 2025, ban foreign vessels from Indian waters, prioritise Fishermen Cooperative Societies and Fish Farmer Producer Organisations (FFPOs) to operate technologically advanced deep-sea vessels, and introduce the mother-and-child vessel concept to facilitate mid-sea transhipment, particularly benefiting the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.
To protect marine ecosystems, the rules prohibit harmful fishing practices like LED light fishing, pair trawling, and bull trawling, set minimum legal fish sizes, and mandate the development of Fisheries Management Plans with stakeholder consultation. Mechanised and large motorised vessels must obtain a free Access Pass via the online ReALCRaft portal, whereas traditional small-scale fishers are exempt. The portal will also integrate with export authorities to ensure traceability, sanitary compliance, and eco-labelling, enhancing India's competitiveness in global seafood markets.
Additionally, fish resources caught beyond the contiguous zone will be recognised as Indian origin for customs purposes to avoid being classified as imports. The government will support training, capacity-building, marketing, export facilitation, and credit access under schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF). Safety measures include mandatory transponders on vessels and QR-coded fishing IDs, with digital tools integrated with navigation systems to improve security and enforcement.
India's coastline and EEZ provide livelihoods for over 5 million fishers, with the country ranking second globally in fish production and aquaculture, and seafood exports valued at ₹60,000 crore. Despite this, high-value deep-sea resources like tuna have been underexploited compared to neighbouring countries. The new community-driven, technology-enabled framework aims to expand India's deep-sea fishing capacity sustainably, boosting its position in the global seafood trade while preserving marine ecosystems.