The Letter of Authorisation (LoA) for sustainable harnessing of fisheries in the high seas has been launched nationally, along with the Odisha Deep Sea Fishing Mission Document. The step matters because it converts a policy announcement in the Union Budget 2025–26 into an operational framework for Indian-flagged vessels to fish in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and high seas under regulated conditions.

Earlier, high-seas fishing by Indian vessels lacked a dedicated national authorisation system of this kind. The new framework is designed to be vessel-specific, non-transferable, digitally tracked, and linked with the ReALCraft Fishing Vessel Registration Portal. It also requires compliance with conservation and management measures of relevant Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs).

What was launched

The Department of Fisheries, Government of India, held the national launch on 9 July 2026 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The event was launched by the Hon’ble Vice President of India, Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, who also launched the Odisha Deep Sea Fishing Mission document.

The programme was attended by Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati, Governor of Odisha; Shri Mohan Charan Majhi, Chief Minister of Odisha; Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister for Education; Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj; Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel, Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj; Shri Gokulananda Mallik, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Fisheries & ARD and MSME, Government of Odisha; and Shri Sukanta Panigrahi, Member of Parliament, Kandhamal.

About 1,000 fish farmers and fishers, including women fish farmers and fishers, participated in person along with officials from States and Union Territories, and from line ministries and departments.

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