India launches high seas fishing authorisation programme, opening new opportunities for deep sea fisheries

Bhubaneswar: India has taken a major step towards expanding its marine fisheries sector with the launch of a national programme for issuing Letters of Authorisation (LoAs) for sustainable fishing in the High Seas. The initiative, unveiled by Vice President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan in Bhubaneswar on Thursday, is expected to help Indian fishermen tap the country's vast untapped marine resources while ensuring responsible and sustainable fishing practices. During the event, the Vice President also launched the Odisha Deep Sea Fishing Mission Document and handed over Letters of Authorisation to ten Fish Farmer Producer Organisations (FPPOs) and individual fishermen from different parts of the country, enabling them to undertake regulated fishing operations beyond India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). A New Phase for India's Marine Fisheries Describing the initiative as a landmark for India's maritime economy, the Vice President said the programme would allow Indian fishing communities to expand beyond traditional coastal waters and explore the immense potential of deep-sea fisheries. India has a coastline of more than 11,000 kilometres and an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of nearly 2.4 million square kilometres. Despite this vast marine territory, much of the country's deep-sea fishery resources remain underutilised. The new authorisation framework aims to encourage...