The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying said that the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) is supporting the formation of fisheries cooperative societies across India, including women-led coastal cooperatives in Andhra Pradesh. The policy relevance lies in its link to the blue economy, cooperative-based livelihoods, and women’s participation in fisheries governance.

What the government said now

According to the Government of Andhra Pradesh, 213 women-led coastal Cooperative Societies have been formed in fisheries, seaweed cultivation, and marine processing across 12 districts between 1 April 2021 and 15 June 2026. The state government said these societies benefited 27,447 beneficiaries, including in coastal districts such as Kakinada.

The Union government said that women-led fisheries cooperatives are being encouraged to register on the National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP) so that they can access higher incentives, including performance grants of up to ₹2 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PMMKSSY). The government also said that women-led fisheries cooperatives get priority in the issuance of Access Passes for fishing in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and Letters of Authorization (LoA) for High Seas fishing.

The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying also said that the application and renewal fee for a High Seas fishing authorisation has been reduced from ₹25,000 to ₹5,000 to facilitate wider participation.

Background and earlier position

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