Odisha govt to overhaul 1982 marine fishing law with Aadhaar, tracking mandate

The proposed Odisha Marine Fishing (Prohibition and Regulation) Bill, 2026 will replace the 43-year-old Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1982

Published on: May 20, 2026, 21:27:29 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty, Bhubaneswar

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The Odisha government on Wednesday approved a new marine fishing law mandating transponders, Very High Frequency (VHF) radios and biometric Aadhaar identification for fishermen, while introducing stricter curbs on illegal and unregulated fishing.

Officials said the four-decade-old law was limited in scope and inadequate to address emerging challenges, including coastal and national security.

The proposed Odisha Marine Fishing (Prohibition and Regulation) Bill, 2026 will replace the 43-year-old Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1982, and expand regulation to deep-sea fishing, coastal security and marine conservation.

The state cabinet, which met on Wednesday, approved the repeal of the Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1982, and its replacement with the Odisha Marine Fishing (Prohibition and Regulation) Bill, 2026.

Officials said the four-decade-old law was limited in scope and inadequate to address emerging challenges, including coastal and national security.

“The 1982 Act did not cover deep-sea fishing, marine resource conservation, coastal security, or the rising threat of foreign fishing vessels entering territorial waters without authorisation. The new Bill seeks to expand regulatory coverage to include deep-sea fishing operations and promoting mariculture activities such as marine cage culture, seaweed cultivation, and the deployment of artificial reefs for the rejuvenation of territorial waters,” chief secretary Anu Garg said, adding that the government has set a target of ₹25,000 crore in seafood exports by 2036.

Among the most significant additions in the new Bill is a set of mandatory safety and surveillance requirements. All fishing vessels will be required to carry transponders, VHF radio communication systems and VTMS. Fishermen will also be required to carry biometric or QR-coded Aadhaar identification to bolster individual safety at sea and broader coastal surveillance.

The Bill additionally mandates enhanced insurance coverage for those engaged in marine fishing.

The proposed Bill introduces new licensing requirements, fishing gear regulations and an outright prohibition on destructive fishing practices. It also contains specific protections for traditional fishers and strengthens the monitoring and enforcement framework for combating IUU fishing.

The Bill also envisages the modernisation of fishing harbours and fish landing centres along the Odisha coastline under a “smart green integrated infrastructure” framework.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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