Mint Explainer | Why does the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement matter for India

SIOFA is a regional fisheries agreement for managing specified resources in the Southern Indian Ocean. It was signed in Rome in 2006 and entered into force in 2012. Its purpose is to coordinate fishing, conservation and compliance across the agreement area, especially in high-seas waters beyond national jurisdiction.

The agreement covers fish, molluscs, crustaceans and other sedentary species. This includes resources such as squid, toothfish and alfonsino. It excludes highly migratory species, such as tuna, which are regulated separately by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission.

SIOFA has ten contracting parties, including Australia, China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Spain, France and India. India joined the IOTC in 1996, but became a SIOFA cooperating non-contracting Party only in 2022. Full membership now gives India a stronger role in managing these non-migratory resources.

Joining SIOFA expands India’s fishing reach beyond its exclusive economic zone. It gives Indian-flagged vessels and enterprises legitimate rights to fish in the high seas within SIOFA’s area of competence. This matters because India has not fully developed its deep-sea fishing capacity, even though its fisheries support millions of livelihoods.

The opportunity is concrete: authorized Indian fishing can target squid, toothfish, alfonsino and other non-migratory fish stocks. Membership also lets India establish a recognized presence alongside fleets already active in the region. It creates access to high-value marine resources under agreed international rules, rather than through informal or unrecognized activity.

India’s vessels currently operate largely within 60–80 nautical miles of its EEZ. The new rights therefore support a wider fishing strategy. Their value will depend on building suitable vessels, enterprises and compliance capacity while following SIOFA’s conservation and management requirements.

The high seas are enormous, making up approximately 65% of the global ocean. They are outside the direct fishing jurisdiction of individual coastal states, so access and management depend heavily on international agreements. Their scale makes them strategically important for countries seeking new marine resources and a larger role in fisheries governance.

The article identifies five leading countries and regions. China accounts for 21% of the activity listed, followed by Taiwan at 13%, Japan and South Korea at 11% each, and Spain at 8%. These figures show how concentrated high-seas fishing has been among a small group of established fleets.

India’s participation in SIOFA is intended to help close that gap. Indian vessels operate mostly within 60–80 nautical miles of the EEZ, while the country seeks to expand across possible high-seas areas. Membership provides a lawful platform, but greater capacity and compliance will still be necessary.

India’s challenge is not a lack of coastline or marine territory. Its coastline stretches over 11,099 kilometres, and its EEZ covers more than 23 lakh square kilometres. Fisheries support over five million fishermen across 13 coastal states and union territories. Yet India has not fully tapped its deep-sea resources.

A key sign is where vessels operate. Indian fishing boats currently work largely within 60–80 nautical miles of the EEZ, rather than across wider high-seas areas. Deep-sea expansion requires fishing capacity that can operate farther offshore, find suitable stocks and meet international rules. The article also points to the need to develop enterprises capable of using these opportunities.

SIOFA membership removes one major barrier by providing legitimate access to specified high-seas resources. It does not automatically create the needed capacity. India must still expand its fleet and skills, participate in research and comply with conservation, monitoring and enforcement requirements.

Deep-sea fishing needs reliable knowledge about fish populations, breeding patterns and ecosystem health. Without that information, fishing decisions can damage stocks or weaken marine ecosystems. Full SIOFA membership matters because India can move beyond limited participation as a cooperating non-contracting Party and help shape decisions.

As a Contracting Party, India can participate fully in the Scientific Committee and Compliance Committee. It can contribute to scientific assessments, research programmes and conservation decisions. For example, better evidence about toothfish, squid or alfonsino stocks could inform rules about authorized fishing and help authorities judge whether exploitation is sustainable.

This participation could help India develop evidence-based fisheries policies and avoid overexploitation. It also gives Indian researchers and authorities a role in shared regional knowledge. The outcome will depend on active contribution, reliable research and compliance with agreed measures. Sustainable management can protect resources and support fishing communities over time.

SIOFA’s High Seas Boarding and Inspection scheme is an enforcement system for the agreement area. It allows authorized vessels and inspectors to board fishing vessels and check whether they follow fishing rules. That matters in international waters, where coordinated oversight is needed to protect shared resources and discourage hidden or unauthorized activity.

Inspections follow standard procedures for identification, communication, safety and reporting. Inspectors can check vessels for possible violations and document their findings. This creates greater transparency and gives participating countries a common way to monitor fishing operations. The system combines practical inspections with formal reporting and cooperation.

India’s active participation could strengthen regional efforts against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. It could also safeguard Indian interests in the Southern Indian Ocean while supporting responsible practices. The benefits are not automatic. They depend on coordination with other countries and India’s ability to meet international fisheries-management requirements.

In standard maritime usage, an exclusive economic zone, or EEZ, is the sea area where a coastal country has special rights to explore, use and manage marine resources. It is not the same as the high seas. The high seas lie beyond national maritime jurisdiction and are governed through international rules and cooperation. The article gives India an EEZ of more than 23 lakh square kilometres.

This difference explains SIOFA’s importance. India can manage resources in its EEZ, but fishing in the Southern Indian Ocean’s high seas requires recognized rights under a regional agreement. SIOFA provides that framework for non-migratory resources such as squid, toothfish and alfonsino, while excluding species covered by coastal-state jurisdiction.

International cooperation matters because vessels from many countries use the same waters and resources. Shared committees, research and inspections can coordinate rules, identify violations and limit overfishing. India’s membership gives it both access and a voice, but effective results require capacity, compliance and cooperation with other parties.