National Report on Deep-Sea and Distant-Water Fishery Resources in India’s EEZ

Recently, the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) released a national report on deep-sea and distant-water fishery resources in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The report is an important scientific document that brings together decades of oceanographic research and systematic fishery surveys to assess India’s marine resources and support their sustainable utilization.India has an Exclusive Economic Zone of approximately 2.37 million square kilometres, making its marine territory a significant resource base for fisheries, food security, employment and the development of the blue economy.

Key Findings of the Report

¨     Long-term Scientific Assessment: The report synthesises findings from more than 400 oceanographic cruises conducted since the early 1990s under the Marine Living Resources Programme.

¨     Fishery Research Vessel: The Fishery and Oceanographic Research Vessel (FORV) Sagar Sampada served as a floating laboratory for multidisciplinary surveys across the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Lakshadweep waters, Andaman Sea and the Southern Ocean.

¨     Mesopelagic “Twilight Zone”: The 200–1,000 metre zone supports dense populations of lanternfishes, deep-sea shrimps and cephalopods, whose vertical migration contributes to the ocean’s biological carbon pump and climate regulation.

¨     Deep-Sea Demersal Resources: The continental slope beyond 200 metres contains potentially important resources such as deep-sea shrimps, perches, scombroids, flatfishes and eels.

¨     Distant-Water Resources: The report documents high-value open-ocean and deep-water resources including tunas, billfishes, sharks, oceanic squids and Antarctic krill.

¨     Biodiversity Hotspots: Ecologically important habitats and nursery areas include Kollam Bank and Angria Bank, the deep-sea slope off Mangalore, the Terrace off Trivandrum, and the Lakshadweep and Andaman-Nicobar Islands.

¨     Technology-Led Assessment: The report highlights the integration of fisheries acoustics, environmental DNA, autonomous observing platforms, satellite observations, artificial intelligence and advanced ecosystem modelling for establishing a state-of-the-art framework for marine spatial planning.

Key Recommendations

¨     Promote Sustainable Exploitation: Deep-sea resources should be harnessed after development of infrastructure, human capacity development and a strong Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) regime, utilising the available scientific and technical information on commercial fisheries resources.

¨     Build Infrastructure and Human Capacity: Development of deep-sea fisheries requires appropriate infrastructure and human capacity development.

¨     Strengthen Monitoring, Control and Surveillance: Sustainable utilisation of deep-sea resources requires a strong Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) regime.

¨     Utilise Scientific and Technical Information: The available scientific and technical information on commercial fisheries resources should guide the sustainable harnessing of deep-sea resources.

Deep-Sea and Distant-Water Fishery Resources

¨     Mesopelagic Resources: The 200–1,000 metre mesopelagic zone supports lanternfishes, deep-sea shrimps and cephalopods.

¨     Deep-Sea Demersal Resources: The continental slope beyond 200 metres contains deep-sea shrimps, perches, scombroids, flatfishes and eels.

¨     Distant-Water Resources: Distant-water resources include tunas, billfishes, sharks, oceanic squids and Antarctic krill.

¨     Non-Conventional Resources: The Indian EEZ has substantial unexploited and non-conventional resources, including deep-sea shrimps, deep-sea lobsters, squids, myctophids and several deep-sea fish species.

¨     Tuna and Tuna-Like Resources: The oceanic tuna resources include yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna and skipjack tuna, while tuna and tuna-like species constitute important oceanic resources.

Significance

¨     Blue Economy & Sustainability: Supports sustainable Blue Economy development through resource assessment, nutritional security, climate regulation via the biological carbon pump, and marine biodiversity conservation.

¨     Vision 2047: The report reinforces Vision 2047, which prioritises the Blue Economy as a core pillar of national growth.

¨     Global Commitments: The report strengthens India’s commitments to UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water) and the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

¨     Marine Spatial Planning: The integration of fisheries acoustics, environmental DNA, autonomous observing platforms, satellite observations, artificial intelligence and advanced ecosystem modelling establishes a state-of-the-art framework for marine spatial planning.