Odisha Updates Fishing Law with Aadhaar, Tracking

Why this is here: The state cabinet approved a bill that will replace a 43-year-old fishing act, hoping to expand regulation to deep-sea fishing and coastal security.

The Odisha government in India approved a bill to replace its 1982 marine fishing law with new regulations. The proposed Odisha Marine Fishing (Prohibition and Regulation) Bill, 2026 will expand oversight to deep-sea fishing and coastal security. Officials state the existing law lacked the scope to address modern challenges like unauthorized foreign vessels.

The new bill mandates all fishing vessels carry transponders, VHF radios, and utilize Vessel Traffic Management Systems. Fishermen must also have biometric or QR-coded Aadhaar identification. It introduces new licensing, gear regulations, and prohibits destructive fishing practices.

The government aims to modernize fishing infrastructure along the Odisha coastline and increase seafood exports to roughly 25,000 crore rupees by 2036. The bill does not detail how these changes will affect small-scale, traditional fishing communities, and enforcement mechanisms remain to be defined. The work to update marine regulations continues.