India's Deep-Sea Fishing Scheme Fails Fishers

Fishers' Struggle

Shaju Antony, a traditional fisherman from Kerala, received a government boat under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana scheme but spent Rs 30 lakh repairing it before giving up.

“If they are building boats for fishermen, why aren’t they consulting the fishermen?”

Kiran Koli's Wait

Kiran Koli, a fishers' union leader from Maharashtra, received his boat in June 2026 but still awaits final subsidy payments after nearly a decade of applying.

“We were supposed to prosper with this new boat, but are instead caught in a deeper mess, a never-ending wait.”

Boat Shortfall

As of September 2026, only 131 deep-sea fishing vessels were ordered under the scheme’s 2020-2025 implementation period, less than half of the approved 392.

Kerala's Problems

Kerala beneficiaries reported rotting fish due to faulty cooling compressors, stalled engines, excessive fuel consumption, and non-functional rudders on their boats.

State Variations

Karnataka ordered 58 boats, Maharashtra 49, while Andhra Pradesh and Kerala had only six operational vessels each under the scheme.

Gujarat's Challenge

Gujarat, with the longest coastline, had approved funds for 50 deep-sea fishing vessels but no fishers applied due to high costs and lack of diesel tax rebates.

“Our boats consume over 60,000 litres of diesel every year. Our fishermen cannot earn good money if there are no tax rebates on fuel.”

Andhra Pradesh's Issues

Andhra Pradesh had approved funds for 50 deep-sea fishing vessels but only six were operational due to insufficient processing facilities and market access.

Tamil Nadu's Hesitation

Tamil Nadu had no fishers apply for the scheme due to high operational costs and lack of skilled labor for longlining.

Boat Design Problems

Kerala's boats, built with Indian components, had cooling compressor failures, engine stalls, excessive fuel use, and rudder malfunctions.

Subsidy Delays

Fishers face delayed subsidy payments and high operational costs from defective boats, leaving them in debt with some owing over Rs 4 crore.

Global Context

India participates in WTO fishery subsidies negotiations and IOTC talks on tuna-catch allocation to address global tuna stock depletion.

Fishing Rules

In July 2026, the government launched a program to issue letters of authorisation for Indian-flagged fishing vessels to undertake regulated fishing operations in the high seas.

Infrastructure Gap

The lack of processing facilities and market access for deep-sea catch deters fishers from participating in the scheme.

NITI Aayog's View

NITI Aayog states that inadequate infrastructure and access to advanced technologies are major challenges for India’s deep-sea fishing industry.

Future Steps

Gujarat approved a diesel tax subsidy revision in June 2026, allowing 30 members of Mahavir Fisheries Cooperative to apply for the scheme.