By Nantoo Banerjee
It is good that the government has finally notified new rules for deep-sea fishing in the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) with a focus on empowering fishermen cooperatives and small-scale fishers, while banning foreign vessels from operating in Indian waters. However, the notification doesn’t solve the overlapping claims with Pakistan and potential complexities with Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. Additionally, illegal Chinese fishing vessels often spotted in the Indian EEZ could continue to be a problem for Indian fishermen in the region. China is the world’s biggest fish catcher, accounting half of global aquaculture production. India remains a distant second, accounting for eight percent of the global fish production, which is estimated at between $670 billion and $1 trillion.
To make the government’s new notification on deep-sea fishing work without much hassle, India needs to substantially strengthen its naval force (Navy) to offer protection to the country’s deep-sea fishers. Although India is currently the world’s fourth largest maritime power after the United States, China and Russia, it has a long way to go to catch up with China’s aggressive navy notable for its rapid expansion and large fleet size. The Indian Navy has monitored hundreds of Chinese fishing vessels operating in the Indian ocean region (IOR), including incidents where vessels were found within or near India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). China’s distant-water fishing fleet, the world’s largest, operates globally, often in other countries’ EEZs. Chinese vessels have often been found using banned fishing gear, such as bottom trawl nets, drifting gill nets, and high-voltage LED lights to attract fish, all of which are environmentally destructive and illegal in Indian waters.
India and Pakistan have a long-standing dispute over the Sir Creek area, which has led to objections and overlaps in their respective EEZs. While maritime boundaries with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are generally settled, their EEZs share proximity with India’s, and disputes can arise from complex factors like shared islands and proximity. With Pakistan, the primary conflict is over the Sir Creek estuary, a disputed tidal area between Gujarat and Sindh. In 2021, Pakistan objected to India’s extended continental shelf claim in the Arabian Sea due to a 100-nautical-mile overlap near Sir Creek. As a result, the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) rejected India’s full claim in this area in 2023.
India’s maritime boundary with Bangladesh has witnessed a long-drawn process of settlement. While an arbitration in 2014 favoured Bangladesh, the process of settling the maritime boundaries took a long time. The complexity arises from the shared maritime border and the potential for overlapping claims in resource-rich areas. Incidentally, Bangladesh is the world’s fifth largest fish producing country. With Sri Lanka, the maritime border is complex due to the proximity of islands and the Lakshadweep Islands. While a boundary has been settled through bilateral agreements, disputes can still arise in the future due to overlapping claims and proximity. India’s maritime boundaries with Myanmar are also complex, but fortunately there has not been any specific conflict between the two nations. India is engaged with international bodies like the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf to address its claims, which have been a source of some of its disputes with neighbouring countries.
Globally, fishing is a big industry. Currently, the global fish and seafood market is estimated at $1.09 trillion although the estimate varies, depending on what is included in the market valuation (e.g., broader “fish and seafood” market versus specific “fish market”). The market is expected to grow at a steady pace, driven by factors like increasing seafood consumption, population growth, and a shift towards sustainable practices. A rise in consumer demand for high-protein, healthy foods like seafood are key drivers. Innovations like smart fishing technologies and advancements in supply chain logistics (like cold chains) are also contributing to market expansion. The Asia-Pacific region held the largest market share in 2024 and is expected to continue dominating the market. As usual, China generates the most revenue within the global market.
Thanks to the various government initiatives, the latest being the notification of new rules for deep-sea fishing in EEZ, India’s marine fisheries sector is expected to grow substantially in the coming years. The new framework prioritises fishermen cooperative societies and fish farmer producer organisations (FFPOs) for undertaking deep-sea fishing operations using technologically advanced vessels. The introduction of the ‘mother-and-child’ vessel concept will allow mid-sea transhipment. This will particularly benefit fishing around Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep Islands, which account for 49 percent of the county’s EEZ area. Notably, the new rules ban harmful fishing practices such as LED light fishing, pair & bull trawling to protect the marine ecosystem.
In 2024-25, India’s fishing industry showed an all-time high performance with a total fish production of 19.5 million metric tonnes. The sector contributed significantly to the economy, sustaining the livelihood of over 28 million people and generating approximately 1.1 percent of India’s GDP. The export of marine products, which was valued at $7.38 billion in 2023-24, is projected to reach $14 billion by the end of this year. The production growth increased by 104 percent from 96 lakh tonnes in 2013–14 to 195 lakh tonnes in 2024–25. Frozen shrimp, frozen fish, cuttlefish, squid, and dried items contribute to a major part of export earnings. Frozen shrimp made up over 40 percent of the export quantity and 66.12 percent of the total value in 2023-24. The USA, China, and Japan are the primary importers of Indian seafood.
Hopefully, the latest government notification will further boost the efforts of India’s deep-sea fishing industry and benefit a large section of the fishing community, which, according to official estimates, comprises some 50-lakh people along the coastline and in the EEZ. A more recent government statement indicates that the broader fisheries sector directly employs over three-crore people. India’s deep-sea resources, particularly high-value tuna, have remained underutilized, although this is changing with new regulations to promote community-led models. The new rules mandate the use of transponders for deep-sea fishing vessels to improve fishermen’s safety and security. The government initiatives are expected to strengthen India’s position in the global seafood trade by promoting sustainable practices and community-led models for deep-sea fishing. (IPA Service)
