Lok Sabha Question No. 234 (STARRED), answered on 2017-08-01
Subject: Deep Sea Fishing
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: N.K. PREMACHANDRAN, SAUGATA ROY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, DAIRYING AND FISHERIES

LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *234 TO BE ANSWERED ON 1 ST  AUGUST, 2017

## DEEP SEA FISHING

## *234.   SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN: PROF. SAUGATA ROY:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ षि और ककसान कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  details  of  the  foreign  vessels  owned  by  Indian  companies  which  obtained Letter of Permission (LoP) for deep sea fishing in territorial sea of the country are available with the Government and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  his  Ministry  seeks  the  opinion  and  concurrence  of  the  Ministries  of  Shipping, Finance and Defence prior to issue of LoP to foreign vessels owned by Indian companies for deep sea fishing and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  it  has  come  to  the  notice  of  his  Ministry  that  such  vessels  have  stopped  their operation as per the directions of the High Court of Kerala;
- (d) if  so,  the  total  number of vessels returned to their original ports along with the details of such vessels; and
- (e) the details of marine wealth exploited by these foreign vessels owned by Indian companies during the last three years?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

(SHRI RADHA MOHAN SINGH)

- (a) to (e)  :        A Statement is placed on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 234 PUT IN BY       SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN & PROF. SAUGATA ROY FOR ANSWER ON 1 ST  AUGUST, 2017 REGARDING DEEP SEA FISHING

- (a) No foreign vessels were permitted to do fishing in the territorial sea of the country under Letter of Permission (LOP) regime implemented by the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries (DADF), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.  The LOPs were granted  only  to  Indian  owned  and  registered  deep-sea  fishing  vessels  for  fishing  in  the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the details of which are at 'Annexure-I'.
- (b) An Inter-Ministerial Empowered Committee on Marine Fisheries (EC) was authorized for considering  the  eligible  applications  for  issue  of  LOPs  to  Indian  entrepreneurs.  This Committee comprised of representatives from various Ministries/ Departments/Organizations including Ministries of Shipping,  Home Affairs, Finance and Defence.
- (c)&(d)The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries has rescinded the Guidelines for operation of LOP vessels w.e.f. 30.01.2017. Thus, all LOPs issued have been cancelled in March, 2017 prior to the Judgement of the High Court of Kerala dated 14th June, 2017. The details of LOP vessels, which have been cancelled are enclosed in 'Annexure-II'.
- (e )      The details of fish catch reported by LOP vessels during 2014 to 2016 (last three years) are as below:

|   Year | Catch (Kg)   |
|--------|--------------|
|   2014 | 526620       |
|   2015 | 477830       |
|   2016 | nil          |

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## 'ANNEXURE-I'

## ANNEXURE  TO  THE  STATEMENT  LAID  DOWN  IN  LOK  SABHA  STARRED QUESTION NO. 234 FOR 1 ST  AUGUST, 2017 REGARDING 'DEEP SEA FISHING'

Details  of  LOP  issued  for  operation  of  deep  sea  fishing  vessels  in  the  Indian  Exclusive Economic Zone (as on 30.01.2017)

| Sl. No.   | Name of the companies /Firms                      | Date of LOP issued   |   Number of LOP issued |
|-----------|---------------------------------------------------|----------------------|------------------------|
| 1.        | M/s OmShakthi Sea Food Chennai                    | 03.11.2006           |                     04 |
| 2.        | M/s Skanda Marines Pvt. Ltd Chennai               | 29.10.2007           |                     04 |
| 3.        | M/s Continental Fisheries Vishakhapatnam          | 22.04.2008           |                     03 |
| 4.        | M/s Gees Marine Products Pvt. Ltd. Vishakhapatnam | 30.04.2012           |                     01 |
| 5.        | M/s SAF Enterprises, Vishakhapatnam               | 30.04.2012           |                     01 |
| 6.        | M/s Samro Food Processors (P) Ltd, Chennai        | 30.04.2012           |                     03 |
| 7.        | M/s JMJ Exports, Chennai                          | 30.04.2012           |                     01 |
|           | Total                                             | Total                |                     17 |

## 'ANNEXURE-II'

## ANNEXURE  TO  THE  STATEMENT  LAID  DOWN  IN  LOK  SABHA  STARRED QUESTION NO. 234 FOR 1 ST  AUGUST, 2017 REGARDING 'DEEP SEA FISHING'

## Details of LOP cancelled (on 24 th March 2017)

| Sl. No.   | Name of the Indian Firms/Company                  | Name of LOPs                                              |
|-----------|---------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
| 1         | M/s OmShakhti Sea Food, Chennai                   | Glory Ocean No. 106                                       |
| 2         | M/s OmShakhti Sea Food, Chennai                   | Glory Ocean No. 205                                       |
| 3         | M/s OmShakhti Sea Food, Chennai                   | Glory Ocean No. 304                                       |
| 4         | M/s OmShakhti Sea Food, Chennai                   | Glory Ocean No. 403                                       |
| 5         | M/s Skanda Marines Pvt. Ltd, Chennai              | Fortuna 5                                                 |
| 6         | M/s Skanda Marines Pvt. Ltd, Chennai              | Fortuna 8                                                 |
| 7         | M/s Skanda Marines Pvt. Ltd, Chennai              | Fortuna 10                                                |
| 8         | M/s Skanda Marines Pvt. Ltd, Chennai              | Fortuna 126                                               |
| 9         | M/s Continental Fisheries, Vishakhapatnam         | Siri Vijaya Lakshmi (two LOPs surrendered on 20.01.2017)* |
| 10        | M/s Gees Marine Products Pvt. Ltd, Vishakhapatnam | MFV MICHAEL                                               |
| 11        | M/s SAF Enterprises, Vishakhapatnam               | MFV NAPOLEON                                              |
| 12        | M/s Samro Food Processors (P) Ltd., Chennai       | MFB MAYURA                                                |
| 13        | M/s Samro Food Processors (P) Ltd., Chennai       | MFB MAYURA-II                                             |
| 14        | M/s Samro Food Processors (P) Ltd., Chennai       | MFB RELIANCE-I                                            |
| 15        | M/s JMJ Exports, Chennai                          | SHANDAVINA                                                |
|           | Total LOP Cancel                                  | 15 (+2 surrendered)                                       |

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