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In a major step towards strengthening India’s Blue Economy, the Government of India has notified the Rules for “Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)” in November 2025. The framework aims to unlock the underutilised deep-sea fisheries potential of India’s EEZ while ensuring sustainability, traceability, coastal security, and inclusive growth of fishing communities.

Key Provisions of the EEZ Rules

• Priority access for Fishermen Cooperative Societies and Fish Farmer Producer Organisations (FFPOs) for deep-sea fishing operations.
• Promotion of value addition, certification, and traceability to boost seafood exports.
• Introduction of the mother–child vessel concept for mid-sea trans-shipment under regulatory oversight, particularly benefiting the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep, which together account for 49% of India’s EEZ area.
• Foreign fishing vessels prohibited from operating in India’s EEZ.

Sustainability and Conservation Measures

• Ban on harmful practices such as LED light fishing, pair trawling, and bull trawling.
• Prescription of minimum legal fish sizes and preparation of Fisheries Management Plans for stock restoration.
• Promotion of mariculture (sea-cage farming, seaweed cultivation) as alternative livelihoods to reduce pressure on near-shore fisheries.
• Formulation of a National Plan of Action on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing.

Digital Access Pass System and ReALCRaft Portal

Under the new rules, mechanized and large motorised vessels must obtain a free Access Pass through the ReALCRaft portal, while traditional and small-scale fishers are exempted.

TheReALCRaft (Registration and Licensing of Fishing Craft) portal, developed by the Department of Fisheries, is a national, open-source digital platform that provides end-to-end services for:

• Registration and licensing of fishing vessels
• Transfer of ownership
• Real-time application tracking and time-bound approvals

Features and Integrations

• Integration with state treasury/payment gateways
• Linkage with security agencies for vessel tracking and coastal surveillance
• ISRO-enabled real-time communication with fishers at sea
• Integration with Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) and Export Inspection Council (EIC) for Fish Catch and Health Certificates, ensuring export compliance and traceability
• Integration with Nabhmitra App for safe navigation and transponder operation

Mandatory use of transponders and QR-coded Aadhaar/Fisher ID cards enhances fisher safety and strengthens coastal security with support from the Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy.

Institutional and Financial Support

• Training, capacity building, and international exposure across the fisheries value chain
• Access to affordable credit under PMMSY and FIDF

Background and Significance

• India has a coastline of over 11,099 km and an EEZ of over 23 lakh sq km
• Supports livelihoods of over 50 lakh fishers across 13 coastal States/UTs
• India ranks second globally in fish production and aquaculture
• Seafood exports valued at ~?60,000 crore (Budget 2025–26)
• Deep-sea resources, especially tuna, remained underutilised earlier compared to Indian Ocean competitors