The new “Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the EEZ Rules, 2025” is a high‑probability UPSC topic connecting Blue Economy, coastal livelihoods, environmental regulation, cooperative reforms and maritime governance. It can appear in Prelims (factual features) and in GS‑2/GS‑3/Essay (Blue Economy, fisheries governance, cooperative federalism, SDG‑14).
Core facts for Prelims
- The Rules, 2025 have been notified under the Territorial Waters, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and Other Maritime Zones Act, 1976 to regulate fishing and related activities in the EEZ beyond territorial waters.
- They operationalise a Budget 2025–26 announcement to create an enabling framework for sustainable fisheries in the Indian EEZ and High Seas, with special focus on Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands (together ~49% of India’s EEZ).
- Priority access is given to Fishermen Cooperative Societies and Fish Farmer Producer Organisations (FFPOs) for deep‑sea fishing licences and management of technologically advanced vessels.
- The “mother‑and‑child vessel” concept allows mid‑sea transhipment of catch under RBI‑linked monitoring, improving efficiency and exports while maintaining traceability and compliance.
- The Rules ban foreign fishing vessels in India’s EEZ and prohibit destructive methods such as LED light fishing, pair trawling and bull trawling.
- They mandate ecosystem‑based Fisheries Management Plans, minimum legal size for key species, and strict traceability, certification and origin‑of‑catch norms (including recognition of fish caught in EEZ as “Indian origin” for customs/export benefits).
Analytical notes for Mains/Essay
# Vision and objectives
- The Rules aim to shift India from shallow, near‑shore, often unsustainable fishing towards regulated, science‑based deep‑sea fisheries, aligning with a “prosperous and inclusive Blue Economy”.
- They seek to simultaneously:
- Protect small‑scale fishers and coastal communities.
- Increase high‑value marine exports and value addition.
- Meet global commitments under SDG‑14, FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and UNCLOS.
# Key features – governance design
1. Community‑centric access regime
- Giving first preference to cooperatives and FFPOs pushes a “community‑led” model instead of corporate‑driven or foreign‑vessel‑led exploitation.
- This fits into the broader government narrative of using cooperatives as a “third pillar” of the economy and supports income diversification for coastal households.
2. Technology, infrastructure and mother‑child model
- The mother vessel acts as a mobile hub for storage, basic processing, refuelling and logistics, while smaller child vessels fish and transfer catch mid‑sea.
- This reduces turnaround time, allows longer fishing trips, and makes exploitation of distant tuna‑rich waters near A&N and Lakshadweep viable, while RBI‑linked monitoring and digital traceability reduce IUU fishing and payment irregularities.
3. Ecological safeguards and science‑based regulation
- Banning LED light fishing, pair trawling and bull trawling protects juvenile and non‑target species, reduces habitat destruction and addresses conflicts between mechanised and traditional fishers.
- Fisheries Management Plans, minimum legal sizes and maximum sustainable yield–based stock management formalise an ecosystem‑approach which many coastal States have only partially implemented so far.
4. Trade, traceability and “Indian origin” status
- Recognising fish harvested from the EEZ as “Indian origin” and insisting on catch documentation and health certificates can help Indian exporters meet EU/US market standards on IUU and traceability.
- This aligns fisheries governance with broader trade policy, customs rules, and sanitary/phyto‑sanitary (SPS) requirements.
Governance and implementation challenges
- Centre–State and multi‑agency coordination: Fisheries is a State subject, but the EEZ is under Union jurisdiction, so coordination among Department of Fisheries, coastal States/UTs, Coast Guard, Navy and RBI will be critical.
- Capacity of cooperatives and FFPOs: Priority to cooperatives may remain on paper if they lack capital, governance capacity, or technical skills to own and operate advanced vessels; implementation will depend on targeted credit, skilling and institutional reforms.
- Monitoring and enforcement: Ensuring compliance on gear bans, catch sizes, stock‑based quotas and mid‑sea transhipment requires strong VMS (Vessel Monitoring Systems), AIS, e‑logbooks and robust MCS (Monitoring, Control and Surveillance) architecture.
- Social and livelihood impacts: If smaller traditional boats are left out of deep‑sea licences, inequalities within fishing communities may rise; transitional support and alternative livelihoods will be needed in areas where harmful gears are banned.
How to link in GS answers
- GS‑2 (Governance / Institutions): Mention as a case study of regulatory reform that blends welfare (priority to cooperatives), sustainability (gear ban, management plans) and Ease of Doing Business for exports (traceability, origin of catch).
- GS‑3 (Economy / Environment / S&T): Use as an example under Blue Economy, marine resources, climate‑resilient livelihoods, and “from shallow to deep‑sea fisheries” structural shift.
- Essay: Use it under themes like “Blue Economy and coastal development”, “Community‑centric development models”, or “Balancing growth and ecology”.
Potential Prelims MCQs
1. With reference to the “Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Rules, 2025”, consider the following:
1. They are issued under the Territorial Waters, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and Other Maritime Zones Act, 1976.
2. They give first preference to Fishermen Cooperative Societies and FFPOs for deep‑sea fishing licences.
3. They permit foreign fishing vessels in the Indian EEZ subject to 100% export obligation.
4. They ban destructive fishing methods like pair trawling and bull trawling.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1, 2 and 4 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 3 and 4 only
Answer: (b) – 1, 2 and 4 are correct; foreign vessels are banned rather than permitted.
2. The ‘mother‑and‑child vessel’ concept, recently in the news, is related to:
(a) Offshore wind energy evacuation
(b) Deep‑sea fishing operations and mid‑sea transhipment
(c) Coastal disaster management and evacuation drills
(d) Marine tourism circuit in island territories
Answer: (b) – It is a logistical model for deep‑sea fishing and mid‑sea transhipment under EEZ Rules, 2025.
3. Which of the following features are part of India’s new EEZ Fisheries Rules?
1. Minimum legal size for specified fish species.
2. Ecosystem‑based Fisheries Management Plans.
3. Recognition of certain EEZ fish as “Indian origin” for customs purposes.
Select the correct answer using the code below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (d) – All three are incorporated in the broader framework of the Rules.
Potential GS‑2/GS‑3 Mains questions
1. GS‑3 (Indian Economy / Blue Economy)
“India’s new Rules for Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) are a key step towards a Blue Economy that is both inclusive and environmentally sustainable.” Discuss with special reference to fishermen cooperatives, deep‑sea fishing and trade facilitation.
2. GS‑3 (Environment / Resources)
Examine how the EEZ Fisheries Rules, 2025 attempt to reconcile the objectives of livelihood security for small‑scale fishers with conservation of marine ecosystems and fish stocks.
3. GS‑2 (Governance / Federalism)
Deep‑sea fisheries in the EEZ require close coordination between the Union and coastal States. Analyse the institutional challenges in implementing the Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the EEZ Rules, 2025.
4. GS‑3 (Science & Tech / Infrastructure)
Explain the “mother‑and‑child vessel” model introduced under India’s new EEZ Fisheries Rules. How can technology‑driven fishing infrastructure transform the livelihoods of coastal communities in island territories?