THEBUSINESSBYTES
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DELHI, JULY 8, 2026
In a significant step
towards strengthening India's Blue Economy and promoting sustainable marine
fisheries, Vice President of India C.P. Radhakrishnan will launch the Letter of
Authorisation (LoA) for Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the High Seas
and unveil the Odisha Deep Sea Fishing Mission (2026–2036) at a national event
in Bhubaneswar on July 9.
Organised by the
Department of Fisheries, Government of India, the landmark programme marks the
beginning of a transparent, technology-driven and sustainable framework for
regulated fishing operations by Indian-flagged vessels in high seas beyond
India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The event will be
attended by Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan
Majhi, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and
Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan,
Minister of State Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, Odisha Fisheries Minister Gokulananda
Mallik, Members of Parliament Aparajita Sarangi and Sukanta Panigrahi, MLA Prasanta
Kumar Jagadev, senior officials and nearly 1,000 fish farmers and fishers,
including women fishers.
Highlighting the
Centre's continued focus on strengthening fisheries cooperatives and Fish
Farmer Producer Organisations (FFPOs), the Vice President will distribute the
Letter of Authorisation to eligible fisheries cooperative societies, the
National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL) and fishing vessel owners. The
beneficiary cooperatives include Shree Mahavir Machhimar Sahakari Mandali Ltd,
Shri Martanda Prassanna Colaba Matsyodyog Vividh Karyakari Sahakari Sanstha
Maryadit, South Goa Mechanized Boat Owners Coop. & Marketing Society Ltd,
Paradeep Marine Primary Fish Production & Marketing Co-op. Society Ltd,
Thengapattanam Deep Sea Fish Producers Cooperative Society and Malpe
Fishermen's Primary Co-Operative Society Ltd.
The LoA, introduced
under the Guidelines for Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the High Seas
by Indian-Flagged Fishing Vessels, 2025, establishes a vessel-specific,
non-transferable and fully digital authorisation system integrated with the
ReALCraft Fishing Vessel Registration Portal. The online, transparent and
time-bound mechanism is designed to facilitate ease of compliance while
ensuring traceable and accountable fishing operations.
Authorised vessels
will be required to adhere to conservation and management measures prescribed
by Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs), including catch limits,
gear regulations, bycatch mitigation, Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) management
and voyage reporting, reinforcing India's commitment to responsible and
sustainable fishing practices.
The initiative is
expected to significantly strengthen FFPOs and fisheries cooperatives by
expanding their participation in deep-sea and high-seas fisheries, improving
access to high-value marine resources and enhancing livelihood opportunities
for fishers through increased income and better governance supported by digital
platforms.
The Odisha Deep Sea
Fishing Mission (2026–2036), a flagship Blue Economy initiative of the Odisha
Government, aims to transform the State into a leading deep-sea fishing and
marine export hub. Through investments in modern fishing infrastructure,
scientific fisheries management, robust value chains and stronger market
linkages, the Mission seeks to boost fish production, generate employment and
improve the incomes of fishing communities while ensuring sustainable growth of
the marine fisheries sector.
The simultaneous
launch of the Letter of Authorisation and the Odisha Deep Sea Fishing Mission
is expected to usher in a new era of regulated, transparent and sustainable
high-seas fisheries in India. The initiatives reaffirm the country's commitment
to responsible utilisation of marine resources, stronger fisher livelihoods,
enhanced seafood exports, compliance with global sustainability standards and
the vision of building a prosperous and inclusive Blue Economy.
