National Workshop on Deep-Sea Fishing Promotion
The Department of Fisheries, Government of India organized a National Workshop on Promotion of Deep-Sea Fishing and Interaction with Access Pass Holders on September 17, 2026, in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The workshop aimed to promote deep-sea fishing by encouraging fishers to harness high-value fisheries resources while providing a platform to understand on-ground challenges and gather stakeholder suggestions for sector strengthening.
The event was attended by Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel, Chief Minister of Gujarat; Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying; Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel, Minister of State for Fisheries; and Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Secretary (Fisheries). Participants included fishers (including women fishers), officials from Department of Fisheries, Government of Gujarat, ICAR, INCOIS, CIFNET, ASCI, NABARD, NCEL, NCDC, SEAI, MPEDA, EIC, and other fisheries stakeholders.
Key Sector Performance Metrics
India's fisheries sector has shown significant growth with fish production reaching a record 197.75 lakh tonnes in 2024-25. Seafood exports have more than doubled, rising by ₹11,400 crore to a record ₹73,890 crore despite global trade barriers and increased tariffs in key markets. This reflects the sector's growing resilience and global competitiveness.
Policy Initiatives and Regulatory Changes
The government emphasized the objective of issuing Access Passes for fishing in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and Letters of Authorization for High Seas Fishing to enable fishers to tap the vast untapped potential of high-value resources such as tuna and other oceanic species. A significant regulatory change includes the reduction of fees for obtaining Letters of Authorization from ₹25,000 to ₹5,000 for cooperative societies, making it easier for fisher collectives to participate in deep-sea fishing.
Stakeholder Feedback and Requirements
During interactions with Letter of Authorization and Access Pass holders, fishers appreciated the government's decision to issue access passes, which enabled them to venture beyond traditional nearshore fishing grounds into the EEZ. This has opened opportunities to target high-value species such as tuna and other oceanic resources, improving livelihood prospects and creating opportunities for higher incomes through export-oriented fisheries.
Fishers highlighted the need for enhanced support in training on quality handling and value addition, cold-chain and cold storage infrastructure at fishing harbours, modernization of deep-sea fishing vessels, improved communication systems, and greater financial assistance for deep-sea fishing operations.
Workshop Technical Sessions and Focus Areas
The workshop featured five technical sessions covering the entire deep-sea fisheries value chain: Unlocking India's Blue Economy: Deep-Sea Fishing Opportunities in the EEZ and High Seas for Enhanced Seafood Exports; Transforming India's Deep-Sea Fishing Fleet - Modern Vessel Technologies and Global Best Practices; Building a Future-Ready Deep-Sea Fishing Workforce - Specialized Training, Skills and Capacity Development; Financing Mechanisms for Deep-Sea Fishing; and From Deep-Sea Catch to Global Markets - Processing, Value Addition, Traceability and Export Compliance.
Nineteen speakers from government, research institutions, financial institutions, industry, international organizations, and fisher representatives emphasized India's significant untapped potential in deep-sea fisheries, particularly for high-value species. They highlighted the need for modern vessels, advanced fishing technologies, cold-chain infrastructure, scientific fish handling, traceability systems, and international certification to improve fishers' incomes and seafood exports.
Strategic Priorities Identified
Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi identified three key priorities for promoting deep-sea fishing: training and capacity building, improved access to finance, and strengthening of cooperative institutions. The discussions underscored the importance of skill development, practical training, affordable financing, cooperative-led investments, modern harbour infrastructure, communication and safety systems, processing and value addition, digital catch documentation, export compliance, and market access.