India launches LoA regime for high-seas fishing, eyes seafood export growth

The new Letter of Authorisation regime aims to expand sustainable high-seas fishing, raise fishermen's incomes and strengthen India's position in the global seafood export market

India's fisheries and aquaculture sector has emerged as one of the country's fastest-growing economic segments, with rising global confidence in the quality of Indian seafood opening up new export opportunities, Vice President C P Radhakrishnan said here on Thursday.

 

Speaking at the national launch of the issuance of Letters of Authorisation (LoA) for sustainable harnessing of fisheries in the high seas, the Vice President said the new initiative will boost India's maritime economy by allowing fishermen to sustainably tap the vast marine resources available in the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and beyond.

 

"This will strengthen fish farmer producer organisations (FFPOs), fisheries cooperatives and individual fishermen by facilitating their participation in sustainable deep-sea and high-seas fishing. It will also improve access to high-value fish resources, enhance incomes of fishing communities and accelerate India's seafood exports," he said.

 

 

Radhakrishnan said India possesses more than 11,000 km of coastline and an EEZ covering nearly 24 lakh sq km, making it one of the world's most resource-rich maritime nations. Despite this enormous marine wealth, he observed that a significant portion remains underutilised because fishing activities have traditionally been confined to coastal waters.

 

"The new policy framework would encourage Indian fishermen to confidently venture into deeper waters for the sustainable harvesting of high-value species such as tuna, reducing pressure on near-shore fisheries while unlocking new economic opportunities," he said.

 

Despite the high potential, India's fishing activity remained concentrated within 40 to 50 nautical miles from the coast for years. This LoA allows Indian-flagged fishing vessels to undertake fishing or fishing-related activities in the high seas.

 

The Vice President said India is currently the world's second-largest fish-producing country, accounting for nearly 8 per cent of global fish production. The fisheries sector supports the livelihoods of nearly three crore fishermen and fish farmers across the country, while seafood exports crossed Rs 73,000 crore during the last financial year.

 

He expressed confidence that the high-seas fishing initiative would further strengthen India's position in the global seafood market by expanding exports of premium marine species. Beyond fishing itself, he said the programme would create employment across the entire value chain, including fish processing, cold-chain infrastructure, transportation, packaging, logistics and export services.

 

Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, said the LoA is a historic milestone for India's marine fisheries sector that will unlock the vast untapped potential of high-seas fisheries through a transparent and fully online system.

 

He said the government has invested more than Rs 39,000 crore in the fisheries sector through various flagship schemes, resulting in more than 100 per cent growth in fish production and record seafood exports in 2025-26 despite global trade challenges.

 

"The fish catch by Indian vessels in the EEZ and high seas has been made duty-free and foreign port landings will be treated as exports, creating new opportunities for growth in the sector," Singh said, and called upon all stakeholders to work collectively towards strengthening India's Blue Economy.

 

Referring to Odisha's rich maritime heritage and abundant fisheries resources, Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Education Minister, said the state has emerged as an important contributor to India's seafood exports and possesses significant untapped potential, particularly in brackish-water aquaculture and deep-sea fisheries. He emphasised that harnessing these resources sustainably can enhance fish production, boost exports and create new livelihood opportunities.

 

Mohan Charan Majhi, Chief Minister of Odisha, said the state is steadily building a robust fisheries ecosystem through investments in modern fisheries infrastructure, including wholesale fish markets and an aquapark, to support value addition and seafood exports.

 

"The state has launched the Odisha Deep Sea Fishing Mission (2026-2036) with an outlay of Rs 2,295.45 crore. The 10-year flagship initiative aims to transition the state from near-shore fishing to a modern, technology-driven marine export hub," he added.

 

The Vice President also unveiled the Odisha Deep Sea Fishing Mission document and handed over LoAs to 10 FFPOs from different parts of the country during the event. Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati and Union Secretary (Fisheries) Abhilaksh Likhi also spoke.