Centre opens deep-sea fishing to big firms: Blow to Kerala, TN small boats; overfishing fears rise

Kochi: A new decision by the Centre has paved the way for some of the country’s largest companies to enter the deep-sea fishing sector. Vessels up to 50 metres in length will now be permitted for fishing activities, whereas currently, all operational boats in this sector are under 24 metres in length. The move will also allow the use of ships for fishing. To support this transition, the government has approved a subsidy of up to 50% for the construction of such vessels.

Setback for small-scale boats

There are concerns that the entry of large corporations into deep-sea fishing will severely impact small-scale fishing units, especially in states like Kerala. The fishing zones being opened up to major companies extend up to 200 nautical miles from the coast — the same waters currently accessed by small-scale fishing boats from Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

It is from these very zones that small boats catch nine varieties of tuna and other high-value export fish such as mott, olakodi, murappadavan, gilfish and tail fish. Skilled fishing workers from Thoothoor, primarily based in Kochi, are actively engaged in this sector.

Loss for Kerala

Kerala and other coastal states had earlier opposed allowing foreign vessels to fish in Indian waters. That proposal was eventually withdrawn by the Central Government. However, the new policy now opens up these waters to large Indian corporate vessels. This could reduce the availability of fish for small-scale boats and may also result in overfishing.

Moreover, there is no mandate requiring that the catch be brought to Kerala. Companies will be allowed to transfer their catch mid-sea to incoming vessels from elsewhere, bypassing the state entirely. This raises the concern that Kerala’s rich marine resources may benefit other regions, thereby harming the state’s fishing industry and export sector.