India to start issuing permits for high sea fishing by companies, vessels

India is set to launch a Letter of Authorisation (LoA) scheme that will, for the first time, permit Indian companies and fishing vessels to operate in intern...

What Happened

India is set to launch a Letter of Authorisation (LoA) scheme that will, for the first time, permit Indian companies and fishing vessels to operate in international waters — areas beyond India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The move formalises Indian participation in high seas fishing, a domain currently dominated by vessels from the European Union, China, and other major maritime nations, with Indian fishermen often working aboard foreign-flagged ships.
The stated objectives are to formalise Indian corporate participation in deep-sea fishing, retain skilled Indian fishermen in domestically owned operations, and reduce the outflow of skilled labour to foreign fishing enterprises.
The scheme is positioned as part of India's broader Blue Economy policy and builds on the Rules for Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone, notified on 4 November 2025.
The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying is expected to issue the LoA scheme shortly; Indian fishing companies and vessels will need government authorisation before commencing high seas operations.

Static Topic Bridges

UNCLOS: EEZ vs High Seas — The Legal Distinction

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), adopted in 1982 and entered into force in 1994, is the foundational international treaty governing maritime zones and resource rights. India is a signatory to UNCLOS.

Territorial Sea (Article 3 UNCLOS): 12 nautical miles from the baseline — full sovereignty of the coastal state
Contiguous Zone (Article 33): 24 nautical miles — limited enforcement jurisdiction over customs, immigration, sanitation, fiscal laws
Exclusive Economic Zone — EEZ (Articles 55–75): Extends up to 200 nautical miles from the baseline. Within the EEZ, the coastal state has sovereign rights for exploring, exploiting, conserving, and managing living and non-living resources (fish, hydrocarbons, seabed minerals)
High Seas (Articles 86–120): All ocean areas beyond the EEZ. Under Article 87, the freedom of the high seas applies — any vessel from any state may fish here. However, UNCLOS Articles 117–119 impose conservation duties and encourage regional cooperation to prevent over-exploitation
India's EEZ area: Approximately 2.02 million sq km — the 18th largest EEZ in the world; spans the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, and the waters around Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands

Connection to this news: India's LoA scheme specifically concerns the high seas zone — beyond India's 200 NM EEZ. Because no single state has sovereign rights over the high seas, Indian vessels need not seek permission from another country, but they must obtain authorisation from their flag state (India) and comply with any applicable Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (RFMO) rules.

Marine Fisheries (Regulation and Management) Act and EEZ Rules 2025

The governance of India's fisheries is evolving from a fragmented, state-level framework toward a unified national system anchored in international law commitments.

Marine Fisheries (Regulation and Management) Bill: A long-pending central legislation intended to regulate fishing within India's EEZ (which falls under the Union's jurisdiction under Entry 57 of the Union List — Fishing and Fisheries beyond territorial waters); the Bill has been in various stages of drafting and consultation for several years
EEZ Rules 2025: On 4 November 2025, the Government notified the Rules for Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone — the first comprehensive regulatory framework for India's EEZ fisheries. This was a Budget 2025–26 announcement delivery
Priority access: The EEZ Rules provide priority access to deep-sea fishing operations for small fishers' cooperatives and Fish Farmer Producer Organizations (FFPOs)
Credit access: Facilitated through Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF)
Focus geography: Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep Islands — underexploited maritime zones with high potential

Connection to this news: The high seas LoA scheme is the logical extension of the EEZ governance framework — having regularised EEZ fishing in 2025, India is now extending its regulatory reach to support Indian vessels in the high seas, where the fishing opportunity is effectively unlimited (subject to RFMO agreements).

Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and Blue Economy

India's fisheries sector is one of the largest in the world by volume, but the majority of production comes from small-scale, artisanal inland and coastal fishing rather than deep-sea or high seas operations. PMMSY is the flagship scheme designed to transform this profile.

PMMSY launched: May 2020; largest fisheries investment scheme in India's history
Total outlay: ₹20,050 crore over 2020–2025 (central + state + beneficiary contributions)
Objectives: Double fish production, increase fisheries exports, create employment, modernise fishing infrastructure, reduce post-harvest losses
Blue Economy: India's National Policy on Marine Fisheries 2017 and subsequent Blue Economy policy framework identify the ocean as a key economic resource — covering fisheries, shipping, ports, tourism, offshore energy, and seabed mining
India's fisheries production: ~175 lakh tonnes per year (as of recent data); India is the 3rd largest fish producing country globally
Fisheries GDP contribution: ~1.24% of national GVA; 7.28% of agricultural GVA
Marine fisheries jurisdiction: Entry 57, Union List (Seventh Schedule) — beyond territorial waters, central government has exclusive authority over fishing

Connection to this news: The high seas permit scheme will give Indian fishing companies access to vastly larger fish stocks than those available within the EEZ, potentially transforming India's deep-sea and pelagic fishing industry. PMMSY provides the financial infrastructure (credit, training, vessel subsidies) to support this expansion.

Key Facts & Data

Scheme being launched: Letter of Authorisation (LoA) for high seas fishing — India's first such system
Ministry: Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying
UNCLOS adopted: 1982; entered into force 1994; India is a signatory
EEZ extent: 200 nautical miles from the baseline (UNCLOS Article 57)
India's EEZ area: ~2.02 million sq km — 18th largest globally
High seas: Beyond 200 NM — freedom of fishing applies (UNCLOS Article 87); subject to RFMO conservation obligations (Articles 117–119)
EEZ Rules notified: 4 November 2025 (Rules for Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the EEZ)
Marine fisheries jurisdiction (domestic): Entry 57, Union List — central government's exclusive domain
PMMSY outlay: ₹20,050 crore (2020–2025)
India's fish production: ~175 lakh tonnes/year; 3rd largest globally
Fisheries' share of GDP: ~1.24% of national GVA; 7.28% of agricultural GVA
Strategic goal: Formalise Indian corporate presence in high seas; retain skilled fishermen in domestically-flagged vessels; reduce dependence on foreign vessels (particularly European and Chinese) in international waters
Complementary scheme: FIDF (Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund) for credit access