**Executive Summary**
This document outlines the notification of the Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Rules, 2025, and details the promotion and incentives for deep-sea fishing. As of March 5, 2026, 707 access passes have been issued, with specific actions and training programs underway to enhance deep-sea fishing capacity.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Regulation of Deep-Sea Fishing**
* The Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Rules, 2025, were notified on November 4, 2025.
* Access passes are issued to mechanized fishing vessels and motorized fishing boats over 24 meters in length, or those exclusively fishing tuna and tuna-like species, to operate in India's EEZ.
* **Access Pass Issuance**
* As of March 5, 2026, 707 access passes have been issued through the online ReALCraft portal.
* Annexure-I provides state-wise details of issued access passes. Andhra Pradesh has received 162 passes.
* **Fishery Potential and Production**
* The potential yield of India's EEZ is estimated at 53.1 lakh tonnes.
* The estimated potential for the Andhra Pradesh coast is 3.65 lakh tonnes.
* Marine fish production in Andhra Pradesh (including mariculture and deep-sea fishing) ranged from 5.54 lakh tonnes (2020-21) to 6.51 lakh tonnes (2024-25).
* **Training and Capacity Building**
* Under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) is implementing training programs for deep-sea fishing and onboard fish handling.
* A total of 8,040 fishermen have been trained, including 874 from Andhra Pradesh.
* The Fishery Survey of India (FSI) also conducts skill training, focusing on deep-sea tuna longlining and sashimi-grade tuna handling.
* 112 fishermen from Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep received training in 2025-26.
* Training covers deep-sea navigation, modern navigational aids, watch-keeping, and safety at sea.
* **Financial Assistance and Incentives**
* The Ministry of Fisheries has introduced sub-components under the "Blue Revolution" scheme: "Assistance for Deep Sea Fishing" and "Conversion of Trawlers into Resource Specific Deep-Sea Fishing Vessels."
* These components provide financial assistance to traditional fishermen for promoting deep-sea fishing.
* Under PMMSY, components like "Support for acquisition of Deep-Sea Fishing vessels for traditional fishermen" and "Up-gradation of existing fishing vessels for export competency" have been introduced.
* For traditional fishers of Andhra Pradesh, 50 deep-sea fishing vessels were approved under the "Support for acquisition of Deep-Sea Fishing vessels for traditional fishermen" component.
**Impact Analysis**
**Traditional Fishermen**
* **Impact:** Eligible to receive financial assistance for acquiring new deep-sea fishing vessels or upgrading existing ones for export competency. This aims to promote their engagement in deep-sea fishing.
* **Action Required:** Apply for financial assistance under the relevant sub-components of the "Blue Revolution" scheme and PMMSY, as directed by the Ministry.
**Fishing Vessel Owners/Operators**
* **Impact:** Require access passes to operate mechanized and motorized fishing vessels (24 meters and above) or those exclusively engaged in tuna fishing within India's EEZ.
* **Action Required:** Obtain the necessary access passes by submitting applications through the ReALCraft portal.
**Andhra Pradesh Fishery Department/Administration**
* **Impact:** Responsible for implementing training programs and facilitating access pass issuance to vessels operating within their jurisdiction. They also benefit from the potential increase in fish production and the contribution to the state's marine fish catch.
* **Action Required:** Continue to facilitate training, skill development, and access pass applications for vessels from Andhra Pradesh.
**Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DoF, Gol)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for policy formulation, notification of rules, implementation of training and financial assistance schemes, and overall promotion of deep-sea fishing.
* **Action Required:** Continue to oversee the implementation of the EEZ Rules, 2025, the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), and the Blue Revolution scheme, including the disbursement of financial assistance and the monitoring of training programs.
Key Entities Referenced
Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Rules, 2025: Rules governing deep-sea fishing operations within India's Exclusive Economic Zone.
Territorial Waters, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and Other Maritime Zones Act, 1976: The foundational law under which the EEZ Rules are notified.
Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY): A central sector scheme aimed at promoting fisheries and aquaculture, including components for deep-sea fishing.
Blue Revolution: A scheme under which sub-components for deep-sea fishing promotion were introduced.
Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying: The government ministry responsible for overseeing fisheries policy and initiatives.
Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying
Deep-Sea Fishing promotion and incentives
Posted On: 12 MAR 2026 11:34AM by PIB Delhi
The Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, on 04th November, 2025, has notified the
Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Rules, 2025 under the
Territorial Waters, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and Other Maritime Zones Act, 1976. As
per these rules, the access passes are being issued to all mechanized fishing vessels and those motorized
fishing boats having overall length of twenty-four meters and above, or motorised fishing vessels
exclusively engaged in fishing of tuna and tuna like species, to operate in the EEZ of India.
As on 5th March, 2026, there are 707 number of access passes issued based on the applications received at
online ReALCraft portal from all coastal States and Union Territories including Andhra Pradesh. The sate-
wise details of numbers of fishing vessels issued Access Passes for EEZ operations and the district-wise
details of vessels from Andhra Pradesh issued with Access Passes is placed at Annexure-I.
(b): As per the estimate of the Expert Committee constituted by Government of India for Revalidation of
Potential Yield of Fishery Resources in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the potential yield
(PY) of India’s EEZ is 53.1 lakh tons, out of which 3.65 lakh tonnes is the estimated potential for the EEZ
along the coast of Andhra Pradesh. During last 5 years (2020-21 to 2024-25), the Marine fish production
from Andhra Pradesh including the mariculture and catch from deep sea fishing is varied between 6.51
lakh tonnes in 2024-25 to 5.54 lakh tonnes in 2020-21.
(c): Under the component of “Training, Awareness, Exposure and Capacity Building”, in Central sector
scheme of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), the National Fisheries Development Board
(NFDB) is designated as the Nodal agency for implementing the training component. Under this component,
an exclusive training for marine fishermen on Deep Sea fishing, and on-board fish handling is conducted by
NFBD in collaboration with Central Institute of Fisheries Nautical & Engineering Training (CIFNET) and a
total 8040 fishermen have been trained through these programs for enhancing India’s capacity building in
Deep Sea fishing including 874 fishers from Andhra Pradesh. Fishery Survey of India (FSI) under
Department of Fisheries, Government of India (DoF, GoI) also conducted comprehensive skill training and
capacity-building programmes to promote adoption of deep-sea fishing technologies, with special emphasis
on deep-sea tuna longlining and sashimi-grade tuna handling. 112 fishers from Andaman & Nicobar Islands
and Lakshadweep have been trained in 2025-26 onboard FSI survey vessels providing hands-on exposure to
monofilament longline operations (setting and hauling), gear configuration, and efficient deck management.
It also includes structured modules on deep-sea navigation, use of modern navigational aids (GPS, echo
sounders, AIS), watch-keeping practices, and safety at sea, covering life-saving appliances and firefighting
equipment.
(d): To promote Deep Sea fishing in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the DoF, GoI had introduced a
sub-component namely “Assistance for Deep Sea Fishing” on and another component of “Conversion of
Trawlers into Resource Specific Deep-Sea Fishing Vessels” under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) on
Blue Revolution. These sub-components were introduced to provide financial assistance to traditional
fishermen for promoting deep-sea fishing in the coastal States/UTs including Andhra Pradesh. For traditionalfishers of Andhra Pradesh, 12 Deep sea fishing vessels were approved with total project cost of Rs.960.00
lakh and financial assistance of Rs.233.28 lakh released from DoF, GoI under the sub-component of
“Assistance for Deep Sea Fishing”, while 57 fishing vessels were approved with total project cost of
Rs.855.00 lakh and financial assistance of Rs. 427.50 lakh released from DoF, GoI under the component of
“Conversion of Trawlers into Resource Specific Deep-Sea Fishing Vessels” during the implementation of the
Blue Revolution Scheme. Subsequently, the DoF, GoI, under its flagship scheme namely, Pradhan Mantri
Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) being implemented with effect from the financial year 2020-21, had
introduced the components namely, “Support for acquisition of Deep-Sea Fishing vessels for traditional
fishermen” and “Up-gradation of existing fishing vessels for export competency” to provide financial
assistance to traditional fishermen for promotion of deep-sea fishing in the coastal States/UTs including
Andhra Pradesh. For traditional fishers of Andhra Pradesh, 50 Deep sea fishing vessels were approved with
total project cost of Rs.6000 lakh and with financial assistance of Rs. 1526.40 lakh from Government of
India under the component of “Support for acquisition of Deep-Sea Fishing vessels for traditional
fishermen”.
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Annexure-I
Statement regarding Deep-Sea Fishing promotion and incentives
State-wise details of Access Pass Issued:
S. No. State/UT No of fishing vessels issued Access Pass (As
on 5th March, 2026)
1 Gujarat 274
2 Maharashtra 2
3 Odisha 47
4 Andhra Pradesh 162
5 Andaman & Nicobar Islands 34
6 Daman & Diu 91
7 Goa 5
8 Karnataka 3
9 Kerala 63
10 Tamil Nadu 211 West Bengal 9
12 Puducherry 2
13 Lakshadweep 13
Total 707
District-wise Access Pass Issued in Andhra Pradesh:
S. No. District No of Access Pass Issued
1 Kakinada 105
2 Vishakhapatnam 52
3 Konaseema 4
4 Baptala 1
Total 162
This information was given by Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh
alias Lalan Singh in response to a question asked in the Rajya Sabha.
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JP
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