In a decisive move for the country’s marine economy, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (MoFAHD) on 4 November 2025 formally notified the Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone of India Rules, 2025, marking a renewed focus on deep-sea fishing and the role of fisheries co-operatives and Fish Farmer Producer Organisations (FFPOs).

That emphasis on co-operatives and community-led models could reshape how India’s small-scale fishers engage with offshore resources. Under the new framework, fishermen co-operative societies and FFPOs are prioritised for deep-sea fishing licences, access to advanced vessels, value-addition and export operations, moving beyond traditional near-shore capture to higher-value marine fisheries.

The rules set out a digit

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