Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan on 9 July launched India's national programme for the issuance of Letters of Authorisation (LoAs) for sustainable high seas fishing, marking a significant shift in the country's maritime fisheries policy. The event, held in Bhubaneswar, saw ten Fish Farmer Producer Organisations (FPPOs) and individual fishermen from across the country receive their LoAs, formally opening access to deep-water and high-seas fishing for Indian coastal communities.

What the Programme Covers

The new framework enables Indian fishermen and fishing cooperatives to venture beyond traditional near-shore waters into the country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) — spanning nearly 24 lakh square kilometres — and into international high seas. The programme prioritises fisheries cooperatives, Fish Farmer Producer Organisations, and individual Indian fishermen for LoA issuance, giving organised coastal communities first access to deep-water licences.

The Vice President also launched the Odisha Deep Sea Fishing Mission Document at the same event, signalling a state-level push aligned with the national programme. High-value species such as tuna are among the primary targets of the new deep-sea push.

India's Fisheries Sector: Scale and Potential

India's fisheries sector already carries considerable weight globally. The country is currently the world's second-largest fish-producing nation, contributing around 8% to global fish production. The sector supports the livelihoods of nearly 3 crore fishermen and fish farmers, and seafood exports crossed ₹73,000 crore in the last financial year.

Despite this scale, India's 11,000-kilometre coastline and vast EEZ remain largely underleveraged, with most fishing activity historically concentrated close to shore. The LoA programme is designed to change that calculus by providing a legal and logistical framework for organised deep-sea operations.

Sustainability and Compliance at the Core

Radhakrishnan stressed that economic expansion into the high seas must be matched by rigorous conservation. He underlined the importance of digital authorisation systems, vessel tracking, international certification, and strict compliance with measures against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. 'Sustainable fishing is a moral responsibility,' he said, adding that economic progress must go hand in hand with marine resource conservation.

The Vice President also called on young people to view fisheries as a modern, technology-driven profession, urging institutions to support fishing communities with knowledge, finance, and innovation in line with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.

Officials and Dignitaries Present

The launch event was attended by Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Panchayati Raj Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and several other dignitaries. The broad representation of both Centre and state leadership signals coordinated political backing for the initiative.

What Comes Next

With the first batch of LoAs now issued, the programme is expected to catalyse downstream employment across harvesting, processing, cold chain, transportation, packaging, logistics, and export services. Industry observers will watch whether the framework translates into measurable export growth and whether the sustainability compliance mechanisms prove enforceable at scale.