Bhubaneswar: Vice President C P Radhakrishnan will launch the Letter of Authorisation (LoA) for sustainable harnessing of fisheries in the high seas and Odisha Deep Sea Mission document during his visit to Bhubaneswar Thursday, officials said.
The Vice President is scheduled to arrive here Thursday morning on a one-day official visit.
He will launch the two programmes during an event, which will be attended by Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union Ministers Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Dharmendra Pradhan, SP Singh Baghel and state minister Gokulananda Mallik.
Radhakrishnan will distribute LoA to the fisheries cooperative societies including National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL) and fishing vessel owners, enabling eligible Indian-flagged fishing vessels to undertake regulated fishing operations in the high seas, an official statement said.
The letter of authorisation is a mandatory provision under the guidelines for sustainable harnessing of fisheries in the high seas by Indian-flagged fishing vessels, 2025, it said.
Designed as a transparent and accountable framework for Indian-flagged vessels undertaking fishing or fishing-related activities in the high seas, the LoA facilitates ease of compliance for fishermen and vessel operators. It will also ensure orderly, traceable and monitored operations, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying said in the statement.
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Similarly, Odisha Deep Sea Fishing Mission (2026–2036) is a flagship Blue Economy initiative of the Odisha government aimed at unlocking the state’s offshore and deep-sea fisheries potential and establishing Odisha as a leading deep-sea fishing and marine export hub, officials said.
Through investments in modern fishing infrastructure, value chains, scientific fisheries management and market linkages, the mission seeks to enhance fish production, generate employment, boost fishermen’s income and drive sustainable growth of the marine fisheries sector, they said.
The guidelines for sustainable harnessing of fisheries in the high seas by Indian-flagged fishing vessels, 2025 were notified in December 2025. The guidelines enable authorised, regulated and responsible fishing by Indian-flagged fishing vessels in the high seas, beyond India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
India has a coastline of 11,099 km and an Exclusive Economic Zone of about 24 lakh sq km. The marine fisheries potential within India’s EEZ is estimated at 58.6 lakh MT, supporting the livelihoods of 50 lakh fishermen.
According to the officials, most fishing activities are concentrated within 40-50 nautical miles of the coast, while deeper waters and areas beyond national jurisdiction offer substantial opportunities for harvesting high-value species, particularly tuna and tuna-like resources.
Recognising the strategic importance of sustainable marine fisheries, the Government of India had notified the guidelines enabling framework for sustainable harnessing of fisheries from the Indian EEZ and the high seas, they said.
The Vice-President is also scheduled to attend the 15th Graduation Ceremony of the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.
Odisha police have made elaborate security and traffic arrangements for the visit to the VP.
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