Odisha Cabinet approves deep-sea fishing mission to boost blue economy

Bhubaneswar, July 1 (IANS) The Odisha Cabinet on Wednesday gave its nod to the implementation of the Odisha Deep Sea Fishing Mission (2026–2036), a proposal put forward by the state Fisheries & Animal Resources Development (F&ARD) Department.

According to an official statement, the flagship initiative aims to unlock the vast offshore fisheries potential of the state and accelerate Blue Economy-led growth.

“The Mission seeks to promote sustainable deep-sea fishing, modernise marine fisheries infrastructure, enhance seafood exports, strengthen fisher livelihoods and establish Odisha as a leading Deep-Sea Fishing and Marine Export Hub in Eastern India,” the official statement said.

It also added that the state has a coastline of about 575 km and with over five lakh marine fisher population dependent on marine fisheries and allied activities.

Currently, marine fishing in Odisha is largely confined to near-shore waters, putting pressure on coastal fishery resources.

The mission aims to sustainably tap untapped offshore and deep-sea resources, including high-value species such as tuna, billfish and oceanic squid, through scientific management and modern fishing technologies.

The government said the mission envisages modern deep-sea fishing vessels, upgraded mechanised boats, mother vessels, modern fishing harbours and landing centres, seafood parks, cold-chain and processing infrastructure, digital fisheries governance, vessel monitoring, marine conservation, fishers’ capacity building and promotion of seafood exports.

“A dedicated Blue Economy Hub (B-Hub) will be established to function as the Mission’s knowledge, innovation and coordination centre. The Mission will also strengthen scientific fisheries management through resource assessment, digital monitoring, traceability systems, artificial reefs, sea ranching and ecosystem-based fisheries management while improving marine safety, disaster preparedness and fisher welfare,” the government noted.

The officials underscored that the mission aims for the production of 2.0 lakh metric tonnes of marine fish annually, creating 50,000 job opportunities and boosting marine exports to Rs 5,000 crore by 2036.

It will also promote private investment, Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), entrepreneurship and adoption of advanced technologies across the fisheries sector.

The mission will be implemented in phases between 2026 and 2036 under the administrative control of the Fisheries & Animal Resources Development Department at an estimated investment of Rs 2,295.45 crore.

“The Odisha Deep Sea Fishing Mission is aligned with Odisha Vision 2036, Viksit Bharat 2047, the National Blue Economy framework and Sustainable Development Goal-14 (Life Below Water). The Mission is expected to transform Odisha’s marine fisheries sector into a modern, technology-driven, export-oriented and environmentally sustainable industry, while ensuring long-term prosperity and livelihood security for the state’s coastal fishing communities,” the government stated.

–IANS

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