Sri Vijaya Puram, November 13: The proposed Merchant Shipping (Fishing Vessels) Rules, 2026, which will govern the regulatory framework for fishing vessels, have been opened for public consultation, with the Department of Fisheries inviting suggestions from fishermen, fishing associations, cooperatives and other interested groups in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands before finalising the draft.
The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, is preparing the proposed rules in coordination with the Central Institute of Fisheries Nautical and Engineering Training (CIFNET), Kochi, and the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS).
The draft has been made available in five languages — English, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Bengali — through the official websites of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration and the Directorate of Fisheries. The consultation process will allow fishing communities and other concerned groups to submit their views before the rules are finalised.
The deadline for submitting comments and recommendations is November 30, 2026. Written submissions can be sent to the Directorate of Fisheries office, opposite Andaman Law College, Mohanpura, Sri Vijaya Puram. Responses can also be emailed to dirfish.and@nic.in.
The department will also organise a stakeholder consultation meeting in Sri Vijaya Puram, bringing together fishermen, representatives of fishing associations, cooperatives and other concerned groups to discuss the proposed provisions.
The date, time and venue of the meeting have not yet been announced. The department said these details would be communicated separately through a press release.
Participants have been asked to examine the draft rules in advance and prepare their suggestions and inputs for discussion at the meeting.
The draft is available at andamannicobar.gov.in and anifisheries.andamannicobar.gov.in.
