Large fishing vessels to operate in deep sea; aim is to make India world's number one

KOCHI: The central government has sped up the process of granting permission for medium and large fishing vessels to operate in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and in the deep sea. The aim is to make India the world’s number one producer of fish. These vessels will be operated by fishermen's cooperative societies with the involvement of state governments.

India’s EEZ in the Indian Ocean covers two million square kilometres. The target is to allow fishing up to 200 nautical miles from the coast; currently, the limit is 60 nautical miles. Vessels above 25 metres in length will be given to cooperative societies. After this, permission will also be given for fishing beyond 200 nautical miles in the deep sea.

Fishermen who are members of these cooperative societies will receive special training in fishing, processing, and marketing. The boats provided will have facilities for processing the catch. The plan also includes building new harbours, processing and cold-storage centres, and expanding existing ports.

Crisis for existing boats
Workers’ unions say the Centre made this decision without considering that India’s fishing sector is mainly small-scale and livelihood-based. There are already three and a half times more vessels than what is required for sustainable fishing. If large vessels increase when fish availability is already shrinking, existing small boats will face a serious crisis, the unions said.

Essential for blue economy
Scientists argue that large vessels are needed to benefit from the blue economy, which depends on using ocean resources. They say such vessels with processing facilities can be allowed under strict regulation.

“If cooperative societies are formed, Kerala will also receive support, including loans for these vessels.”
— George Kurian, Union Minister of State for Fisheries

“This is an attempt to hand over the sector to big corporations under the cover of cooperative societies.”
— Charles George, President, Kerala Swathantra Matsyathozhilali Federation