Veraval (Gujarat), Feb 20 (PTI) Union minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh on Friday handed over access passes for fishing in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) at a function in Gujarat’s Veraval.
He handed over the passes to 37 fishermen representing 24 fisheries cooperative societies along with safety kits, which included life jackets, high-beam torches, and GPS devices, an official release said.
Singh also distributed grant of Rs 2 lakh to newly formed fisheries cooperatives in the state, it added.
“During earlier governments, middlemen used to take 60 per cent share of fishermen. Now, under the Narendra Modi government, there are no middlemen. The entire process is digital,” he said while addressing a gathering on the occasion.
The EEZ framework was drafted after extensive consultations with fishermen associations, cooperatives, states and union territories, and scientific institutions, ensuring a transparent, inclusive and future-ready system, Singh added.
“Over 2,800 applications have already been received on the RealCraft portal, and access passes will be issued according to guidelines over the coming month,” the minister said.
He urged fishermen to organise themselves into cooperatives for growth, apply for the access pass, and benefit from EEZ rules.
Fish caught by any Indian vessel in the EEZ/high seas is duty-free as per the announcement in Budget 2026-27, he pointed out.
He said the government’s investments in various welfare schemes, safety systems such as ‘transponders’ for realtime tracking, and Potential Fishing Zone advisories save lives and improve productivity.
The launch of the access pass is a significant milestone towards operationalizing a modern, sustainable and fisher-centric governance framework for India’s EEZ, aimed at expanding offshore fishing, increasing fisher incomes, promoting responsible utilization of marine resources, and advancing the national vision of Blue Economy, a release said.
The EEZ extends to 200 nautical miles from coastline of the country. PTI KVM BNM
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