# India's Deep-Sea Fishing Scheme Fails Fishers

> Fishers in India face debt and broken boats after government deep-sea fishing scheme.
- Title: India's Deep-Sea Fishing Scheme Fails Fishers · Scroll
- Summary: Fishers in India face debt and broken boats after government deep-sea fishing scheme.
- Keywords: pradhan mantri matsya sampada yojana, deep-sea fishing, kerala, maharashtra, karnataka, fishers, boat subsidies, tuna, vallams, coastal fishing, india, Scroll
- Source: Scroll — https://scroll.in/article/1096352/indias-deep-sea-fishing-ambitions-are-floundering
- Author: Supriya Vohra
- Published: 2026-11-06T14:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: pradhan mantri matsya sampada yojana, deep-sea fishing, kerala, maharashtra, karnataka, fishers, boat subsidies, tuna, vallams, coastal fishing, india, news
## 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.
## Key takeaway

Indian fishers struggle with faulty boats and delayed subsidies under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana scheme.