Coastal Aquaculture and Mariculture

Unit 8- Deep sea fisheries

8.1.2. Development of deep sea fishing in India
Deep sea fishing operation started with two Mexican trawlers imported from USA in 1972. However, these vessels did fishing in inshore waters only. There were 110 chartered and joint venture deep-sea fishing trawlers operating all along the Indian coast in 1982. Most of these vessels were Taiwanese, and exploited mostly inshore waters, and rarely fished beyond 50 m depth. In 1983, the Government of India enforced a depth limitation of 80 m. Hence, all the chartered vessels wound up their operations which resulted in the termination of foreign vessel-chartering programme.
Following termination of foreign vessels chartering programme in the mid 1980s, the Government of India formulated various schemes and projects to diversify and strengthen deep-sea fishing industry and large industrial houses. New Deep Sea Fishing Policy announced in March 1991 became fully effective during the year 1992-93 as a number of vessels under Joint Ventures, Test Fishing and Leasing were permitted and operation of a few vessels was started. Multinational companies were permitted to undertake deep-sea fishing through joint venture arrangements in early 1990s. Under these schemes, 33 stem trawlers and 22 pair trawlers operated in 50 to 100 m depth during 1990 -1993 and 23 tuna long liners during 1990 -1995, As the trawlers could not get the expected quantities of shrimps, the operations were gradually reduced since 1993. Due to high operational and maintenance costs, only 10 tuna long liners and 5 stem trawlers operated in 1994 and 1995, which too closed their operation by the end of 1990s.
In addition, fishermen too stiffly resisted to the scheme. They were of the view that fishing in deep-sea would deplete inshore resources and jeopardize their already diminishing income. The main objection was for chartering foreign trawlers as these vessels often fished in waters below 100 m depth, thereby confronting local fishennen. Fishermen were not ready to accept the operation of tuna loglines too, which generally operated in waters far beyond their reach. In addition, three corporate companies, which were involved in far sea long lining, reported closure of their fishing activities in 1995-1996.
In 2003 and 2004, under joint venture policy, about 30 deep-sea fishing vessels have been permitted to operate in the Indian EEZ. Because of the deficiency in monitoring and surveillance of such operations, it is bitterly complained by fishermen that these vessels fish inside territorial waters and sweep away all types of fishes. Responding to protests and agitations by fish workers all over the country against the DSFP, Govenm1ent of India (GOI) appointed a commission headed by Sri Murari to examine the issue. The commission recommended that issuing license to foreign vessels must be stopped and indigenous potential for exploiting deep- sea fishery resources should be assessed and promoted. Accordingly, the Government stopped issuing new licences and emphasised the need to search for indigenous means of harvesting the unexploited deep sea resources of India.
Thus, exploitation of deep-sea resources has never been consistently successful in India. It is high time that the following vital scientific facts are considered for success in deep-sea fishing operations.

• The fisheries resources are less abundant in the far sea and deep sea.
• Far sea and deep- sea fishing is several times costlier compared to inshore fishing.
• The species found in the deep-sea are generally not popular in the market, and hence, fetch very poor price.