India’s island regions—the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep— account for approximately 49% of the country's EEZ area

India Unlocks Deep-Sea Potential: Fisheries Co-ops at the Core of EEZ Reforms

INDIA
Monday, November 10, 2025, 00:10 (GMT + 9)

Community-Led Models Prioritized in New Rules to Boost Exports and Blue Economy

In a landmark policy decision to revitalize India's marine economy and ensure sustainable resource management, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (MoFAHD) on November 4, 2025, formally notified the Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone of India Rules, 2025. The new framework signals a decisive shift by placing Fishermen Cooperative Societies and Fish Farmer Producer Organisations (FFPOs) at the forefront of deep-sea fishing operations.

Empowering the Co-operative Sector

The rules are set to reshape the country's fisheries landscape by granting preferential access to deep-sea fishing licenses and modern, technologically advanced vessels to Fishermen Cooperative Societies and FFPOs. This move is aimed at strengthening collective enterprise and moving small-scale fishers beyond traditional near-shore activities to tap into higher-value marine resources, such as tuna, which have historically been underutilized by Indian fleets.

India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) spans over 2.3 million square kilometres, the 18th largest in the world, and supports the livelihoods of over 50 lakh people along its 11,099 km coastline. The new policy, inspired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision, seeks to fully unlock this potential. Access to credit for these modern ventures will be facilitated through flagship schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF).

Digital Governance and Sustainability Mandates

The reforms introduce a mandatory digital Access Pass regime for 64,187 registered mechanised and large motorised vessels operating in the EEZ. This pass is free and obtainable via the online ReALCRaft portal. Importantly, traditional and small-scale fishers operating non-motorised or smaller motorised crafts are exempted, providing a crucial layer of protection for coastal communities. The ReALCRaft system is integrated with the Nabhmitra Application for navigation and with export bodies to ensure end-to-end traceability, sanitary compliance, and eco-labelling—key requirements for accessing premium international markets. Furthermore, the rules:

• Prohibit Destructive Fishing: Harmful practices such as LED light fishing, pair trawling, and bull trawling are explicitly banned to protect the marine ecosystem.

• Bar Foreign Vessels: To safeguard the interests of Indian fishers, foreign fishing vessels are strictly prohibited from operating in the EEZ under any arrangement.

• Conservation Measures: The rules will impose minimum legal sizes for fish species and mandate the creation of stakeholder-driven Fisheries Management Plans to help restore declining fish stocks.

The financial backing for this ambition was highlighted in the Budget 2025–26, with an allocation of approximately US$ 325.7 million (Rs 2,703.67 crore) for the fisheries sector.

Focus on Island Territories and Exports

For India’s island regions—the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep—which account for approximately 49% of the country's EEZ area, the focus is on boosting high-value exports. New concepts like the mother-and-child vessel model are introduced to allow mid-sea transshipment, a process monitored under Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulations. Co-operatives in these zones are expected to benefit significantly from targeted promotion of deep-sea tuna fisheries and new cold-chain infrastructure.

By aligning sustainable resource access with inclusive, community-led enterprise, the Sustainable Harnessing Rules, 2025, are positioned as a watershed moment for India’s Blue Economy, set to modernize the marine sector and ensure prosperity flows to organized community-based structures.

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