Deep-sea fishing to be allowed again

The government proposes to permit Indian entrepreneurs to acquire fish resource-specific deep-sea fishing vessels for deployment in the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The proposal of the agriculture ministry's fisheries department to this effect has already been cleared by the inter-ministerial empowered committee on marine fisheries.

The committee has also finalised the optimum fishing capacity that will be allowed to be exploited in the EEZ in the next five years.

Under this policy, permission could be granted to a maximum of 110 tuna long liners, 500 pole and line vessels, 18 purse-seiners, 10 trap/hook and line vessels, 15 squid jiggers and 72 pelagic/mid-water trawlers.

The operation of foreign vessels for deep-sea fishing in the Indian EEZ was disallowed in 1996 following protests from the local fisheries communities. Subsequently, the comprehensive marine fishing policy adopted in 2004 had stipulated allowing fish resource-specific vessels carrying Indian flags to operate in the Indian deep water zone subject to capacity limits to be decided by an empowered committee.

The parliamentary consultative committee attached to the agriculture ministry, which met here today, was informed that the required institutional and legal mechanisms were proposed to be put in place to manage the deep-sea fisheries.

The ultimate goal was to transform deep-sea fishing gradually into a limited access regime.

Under this move, a new Central Act was being formulated to regulate fisheries and fishing in the EEZ. Besides, a national plan of action, with enabling legal provisions, is also proposed to be put in place to curb illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing activity in the Indian EEZ.

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar told the committee that effective exploitation of the deep-sea fisheries, potential was a challenge because of the heavy capital investments needed for this purpose.

Empowering the indigenous fleet for deep sea fishing, acquisition of modern technology, human resource development and post-harvest support, including marketing support, were the key elements for developing the deep-sea fishing sector, he said.

Of the country's total marine fisheries potential of 3.93 million tonnes, about 3 million tonnes came from the inshore belt where there was very little scope for further augmenting fish production, the minister pointed out.

The bulk of the exploitable surplus of 0.8 million tonnes lied in the offshore or deep sea belt.