Access Pass for Fishing & EEZ Rules
Context:
The Government of India has launched the "Access Pass" for fishing in India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
This initiative follows the notification of the "Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Rules, 2025" on November 4, 2025, aimed at regulating and promoting deep-sea fishing
EEZ of India:
An exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is a sea zone prescribed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea over which a state has special rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources, including energy production from water and wind.
Exclusive Economic Zones give countries the exclusive right to develop resources (including offshore wind farms, natural gas and oil extraction and/or access to finishing grounds).
Key Features of the Rules:
The Access Pass:
To fish in the EEZ (extending from 12 to 200 nautical miles), vessels now require an Access Pass.
These are issued free of cost to empower fisheries cooperatives and Fish Farmer Producer Organizations (FFPOs).
Exemptions:
To protect small-scale fishers, approximately 2.38 lakh registered fishing vessels—including 1.32 lakh motorized boats and 40,461 non-motorized traditional crafts—are exempted from obtaining this pass.
Only the 64,187 mechanized fishing vessels are required to obtain it.
ReALCRaft Portal:
The passes are issued through the ReALCRaft portal, a single-window digital ecosystem integrated with MPEDA (for Catch Certificates) and EIC (for Health Certificates).
This ensures traceability and facilitates exports to premium markets.
Significance:
While India has a vast EEZ of 24 lakh sq km, most fishing activity is currently limited to 40-50 nautical miles.
The new framework aims to harness high-value oceanic resources like tuna, particularly around the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands.
The initiative is backed by safety measures, including the installation of one lakh free transponders on vessels for real-time tracking and distress alerts.
Additionally, accident insurance coverage has been enhanced to ₹5 lakh.