The Indian government has committed to supporting traditional fishers in their transition to deep-sea fishing.
The support will come from the Blue Revolution and the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) schemes and will focus on providing well-equipped modern fishing vessels.
“The government is providing up to 60 per cent financial assistance to traditional fishermen to convert their vessels into deep-sea fishing boats,” said Dr L Murugan, minister of state for fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying.
“Additionally, loan facilities are also available to facilitate this transformation.”
Speaking at a technical session on ‘Deep Sea Fishing: Technology, Resources, and Economics’ at the Global Fisheries Conference India 2023 in Gujarat Science City, Ahmedabad on 22 November, Dr Murugan called for more start-ups to enter the deep-sea fishing sector and for research on reducing fuel costs and exploring the use of green fuels.
Dr Arthur Neiland, a World Bank consultant from the UK, said yellowfin and skipjack tuna in India’s exclusive economic zone was underexploited with only 12% fished from an estimated harvest of 179,000 tonnes.
He emphasised the need for investment from both the public and private sectors to realise these potential benefits, calling for an environment which ‘encourages technology, expertise and regional and international collaboration’.
Other speakers asserted the need for better technology to protect lives and plan fishing trips and the benefit of voluntary guidelines on the marking of fish gear in deep-sea fishing.
