Centre To Encourage Fishers To Harness High-Value Fisheries Resources

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS) In a bid to promote deep-sea fishing by encouraging fishers to harness high-value fisheries resources, the government is set to organise a national workshop on promotion of deep-sea fishing and interaction with access pass and letter of authorisation (LoA) holders in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, an official statement said on Wednesday.

The deliberations are expected to serve as a significant platform for strengthening India's deep-sea fishing ecosystem by bringing together policymakers, technical experts, financial institutions, industry stakeholders, cooperatives, and fishers for focused deliberations.

The Gujarat event on Thursday will provide a platform to fishers to understand on-ground challenges and gather stakeholder suggestions for further strengthening the sector.

The discussions and recommendations emerging from the workshop will help identify practical solutions to on-ground challenges, improve access to technology, skills, finance, and markets, and facilitate greater participation of fishers in deep-sea fishing, the statement added.

The event will be attended by Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, and others.

The workshop comes at a time when the marine fisheries potential within India's EEZ is estimated at 58.6 lakh MT, supporting the livelihoods of approximately 50 lakh fishers and contributing significantly to food security, nutrition, employment, income generation and export revenues.

India is presently among the leading fisheries and aquaculture producing countries globally and exported seafood valued at around Rs 73,890 crore during FY 2025-26.

Most fishing activities are concentrated within 40–50 nautical miles of the coast, while deeper waters and areas beyond national jurisdiction offer substantial opportunities for harvesting high-value species, particularly tuna and tuna-like resources.

The Department of Fisheries has given special thrust to strengthening fisheries farmer producer organisations (FFPO) and fisheries cooperatives while also focusing on digitisation of the fisheries sector through various initiatives.

The workshop will feature focused technical sessions covering the entire deep-sea fishing value chain, from resource potential and vessel modernisation to skill development, financing, processing, value addition and access to export markets.

-IANS

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