Harnessing India’s deep-sea and offshore fisheries is critical to unlocking vast yet underutilised marine resources that can strengthen food security, boost exports and improve livelihoods along the coast. India is among the world’s largest fish producers and fisheries plays an important role in the national economy.
Export earnings reached $7.38 billion ( ₹64,708 crore) in FY24, roughly double the value recorded in FY14. Yet, most fishing activity remains confined to coastal and inland waters.
India has a coastline of more than 11,000 km and an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extending 200 nautical miles, yet the country’s deep-sea resources beyond the continental shelf remain largely untapped.
What is deep-sea fishery and how is it different from coastal fishing?
Deep-sea fishery refers to operations in the deeper parts of the ocean—typically beyond 200 metres in depth and within a country’s EEZ—targeting high-value species such as tuna, mackerel, billfish, deep-sea shrimps, squids, and other demersal fish.
Unlike coastal fishing, which is carried out close to the shore using small boats and traditional gear, deep-sea fishing involves large, modern vessels equipped with advanced navigation, communication, and fish-finding systems. It also requires skilled crews, scientific stock assessments, and efficient cold-chain and preservation facilities to maintain catch quality during long voyages.
Why does harnessing deep-sea and offshore fisheries matter for India?
Rising domestic and global demand for seafood is increasingly outpacing supply from overfished coastal waters. India’s offshore areas, with an estimated sustainable yield potential of about 7.16 million tonnes a year, offer a significant opportunity to fill this gap.
Harnessing these deep-sea resources can strengthen India’s fisheries sector, boost seafood exports, create new jobs in coastal regions, and ease pressure on nearshore ecosystems, helping ensure long-term sustainability. However, India’s participation in high-seas fishing remains limited.
As of 2023, only four Indian-flagged vessels operated by the Fishery Survey of India (FSI) were active in deep-sea operations. This contrasts sharply with other countries in the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission region—Sri Lanka operates around 1,883 authorised vessels and Iran about 1,216.
Given India’s vast coastline and strategic location in the Indian Ocean, such limited engagement underscores how underdeveloped this sector remains. India’s marine fisheries are distributed across four major regions, each with its own distinct species composition.
The Arabian Sea region, covering Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, and Kerala, is abundant in tuna, seer fish, billfish, and deep-sea shrimp. Along the eastern coast, the Bay of Bengal region, which includes Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal, yields significant catches of tuna, sharks, and demersal fish.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are rich in tuna, billfish, and deep-sea shrimp resources, while the Lakshadweep archipelago in the Arabian Sea is known for its tuna, billfish, sharks, squids, and other pelagic species. Together, these four regions reflect the richness and diversity of India’s marine ecosystems and the vast, largely untapped potential of its offshore fisheries.
What resources are needed to harness deep-sea fishing?
India’s deep-sea and offshore fisheries face serious infrastructure and technology gaps. Of more than 90 fishing harbours, only a few can handle large vessels, and most of the 1,547 landing centres lack basic offloading, sorting and preservation facilities. Many vessels have inadequate onboard storage, repair and maintenance systems, which reduce fish quality and market value.
Post-harvest infrastructure also lags. A Niti Aayog report titled ‘India’s Blue Economy: Strategy for Harnessing Deep-Sea and Offshore Fisheries’ released on 13 October noted that many of the country’s 646 seafood processing units lack the technology required for deep-sea species, while inadequate cold storage and transport systems cause significant losses.
Most fishing vessels still lack modern fish-finding equipment, communication systems and sustainable gear. Developing this capacity will require investment in capital-intensive, technologically advanced fleets supported by better ports, logistics and repair facilities.
What steps has the government taken to promote deep-sea fisheries?
Since 2015, the central government has invested about ₹38,572 crore in the fisheries sector through programmes such as the Blue Revolution, Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), and the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). The PMMSY, implemented between FY21 and FY25, aims to drive a “Blue Revolution” through sustainable development of India’s fisheries potential.
It also promotes the ‘Make in India’ initiative by encouraging the modernisation and domestic manufacture of fishing vessels, including low-cost indigenous designs and mother vessels.
What has the Niti Aayog proposed to ensure sustainable development of deep-sea fisheries?
To ensure the sustainable development of deep-sea fishing, the Niti Aayog report outlined six key policy interventions – overhauling existing policies and regulations, strengthening institutions and capacity building, modernising fishing fleets and upgrading infrastructure, promoting science-based and sustainable fisheries management, mobilising financial resources, and enhancing community participation through cooperatives and partnerships.
Recognising the capital-intensive nature of deep-sea operations, the report emphasises the importance of inclusive fleet development by encouraging fisher cooperatives and cluster-based models to share ownership and access to modern technology. This approach aims to ensure that the benefits of offshore expansion reach local fishing communities while safeguarding ecological balance across India’s marine ecosystem.