India to Join Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Pact
Why in News?
- On 14 October 2026, the Centre approved India's accession to the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement. The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying handles the matter.
- India has been a Cooperating Non-Contracting Party to the agreement since 2022. Accession will make it a full contracting party.
- The aims are to expand Indian fishing into international waters, secure access to high-value marine resources and gain a greater say in managing high-seas fisheries.
- It also supports cooperation on science, sustainable harvesting and preventing illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
- The high seas cover about 65 per cent of the global ocean, and Indian vessels now fish mostly within 60 to 80 nautical miles of the Exclusive Economic Zone.
Key Terminologies
- Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement
- A treaty signed in Rome on 7 July 2006 that came into force in June 2012. It aims at long-term conservation and sustainable use of fishery resources in its area through cooperation.
- Cooperating Non-Contracting Party
- A country that is not a full member but cooperates with the agreement. India and Comoros hold this status, and accession will move India to full membership.
- High seas
- The ocean beyond national Exclusive Economic Zones. The article says it covers about 65 per cent of the global ocean.
- Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
- Fishing that breaks rules, is not reported, or is not regulated. The agreement supports cooperation to prevent it.
Key Issues
- Shifting Offshore: Indian vessels now fish mostly within 60 to 80 nautical miles of the Exclusive Economic Zone. Membership gives access to high-seas stocks such as squid, toothfish and alfonsino.
- Rules and Seats: As a contracting party, India will join the Scientific Committee and the Compliance Committee and get access to stock assessments. It will also take part in the High Seas Boarding and Inspection Scheme.
- Limited Coverage: The agreement does not cover highly migratory species listed in Annex I of UNCLOS, or sedentary species under coastal state jurisdiction. Tuna is managed elsewhere, and India has been a party to the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission since 1996.
- Competition: The article names China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Spain as the main fishing nations in high-seas areas. SIOFA's ten contracting parties include China, Japan and the Republic of Korea.
- Sustainability: The treaty seeks long-term conservation and sustainable use. Greater Indian effort must therefore be matched with science and compliance.
Key Implications
Positive/Pros/Merits
- Resource Access: Authorised fishing of squid, toothfish, alfonsino and other non-migratory stocks opens new opportunities for fishers and seafood businesses.
- Voice in Management: Full membership gives India a greater say in managing and conserving high-seas fisheries, with seats on the key committees.
- Blue Economy: The Ministry links the accession to Blue Economy priorities and revenue for the exchequer.
Negative/Cons/Demerits
- Capacity Gap: Indian vessels mostly fish near the Exclusive Economic Zone. Distant-water fishing needs larger vessels, ports and monitoring, which is an inference.
- Overfishing Risk: Greater effort on high-seas stocks can harm them if science and compliance are weak.
- Compliance Costs: Joining the Boarding and Inspection Scheme and the Compliance Committee brings obligations on reporting and enforcement.
Key Initiatives
- Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement, 2006: It entered into force in June 2012 and has ten contracting parties, including Australia, China, the European Union, Japan, Mauritius and the Seychelles.
- Government of India, 14 October 2026: The Centre approved accession, moving India from Cooperating Non-Contracting Party status held since 2022 to a full contracting party.
- Indian Ocean Tuna Commission: India has been a contracting party since 1996, which covers tuna stocks that SIOFA does not.
- Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana: The scheme supports the fisheries sector, and a Department of Fisheries statement of 12 October 2026 cited it in notifying an ornamental fisheries cluster.
The Government says accession will expand Indian fishing into international waters, secure access to marine resources and advance Blue Economy priorities. India has been a Cooperating Non-Contracting Party since 2022. The reports reviewed do not give a date for the formal deposit of the accession or the date India will become a contracting party.
Director's Perspective
Way Forward
- Build deep-sea fishing vessels, ports and monitoring systems through the Fisheries Ministry, before relying on high-seas stocks.
- Join SIOFA science work early, so that India contributes data and not only takes quotas.
- Report catch and compliance openly, to meet the Compliance Committee and boarding scheme standards.
Joining the agreement is a sensible step, because it turns India's cooperating status into a seat and a vote. It opens high-seas stocks and a voice in the Scientific and Compliance Committees. The challenge is capacity, since Indian vessels now fish close to the Exclusive Economic Zone. In a Mains answer, credit the Blue Economy aim and rules-based access, then conclude that science, enforcement and vessel capacity must grow together.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement?
The Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement is a treaty signed in Rome on 7 July 2006 that came into force in June 2012. It aims at long-term conservation and sustainable use of fishery resources in its area, and it has ten contracting parties.
Why is India joining the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement?
India's accession, approved on 14 October 2026, aims to expand fishing into international waters, secure access to high-value marine resources and gain a say in managing high-seas fisheries. India has been a Cooperating Non-Contracting Party since 2022 and will become a full contracting party.
Which species does the agreement not cover?
The agreement does not cover highly migratory species listed in Annex I of UNCLOS, or sedentary species under coastal state jurisdiction. Tuna is therefore outside it, and India has been a contracting party to the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission since 1996.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement entered into force in June 2012.
It was signed in Rome on 7 July 2006.
2 India has been a full contracting party to the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement since 2022.
India has been a Cooperating Non-Contracting Party since 2022, and accession will make it a full party.
3 The Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement covers highly migratory species listed in Annex I of UNCLOS.
It does not cover those species.