Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA)

Why in News?

Recently, the Union Cabinet approved India’s formal accession to the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA).

• The agreement elevates India's status from a Cooperating Non-Contracting Party (CNCP) (a position held since 2022) to a full Contracting Party.
• This decision aligns with India's Guidelines for High Sea Fisheries (2025) and advances national Blue Economy priorities under the MAHASAGAR vision.

Key Highlights

About SIOFA

• Signed in - Rome on July 7, 2006, and entered into force in June 2012.
• Geographical Scope - Covers the high seas of the Southern Indian Ocean between eastern Africa and Western Australia.
• Species Covered - Regulates fish, molluscs, crustaceans, and other sedentary species within international waters.
• Exclusions - Explicitly excludes highly migratory species (which are managed by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission - IOTC) and sedentary species under national Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) jurisdiction.

Major Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) in Indian Ocean

• IOTC (Indian Ocean Tuna Commission) - India has been a contracting party since 1996 to manage highly migratory tuna and tuna-like species.
• SIOFA - Manages all other non-migratory high-seas fishery resources (e.g., Orange Roughy, Alfonsino, Patagonian Toothfish, and Squid).
• Comparison of RFMOs in the Indian Ocean

Significance

• Expanding High-Seas Fishing Capacity.
• Participation in Multilateral Ocean Governance.
• Alignment with MAHASAGAR & Blue Economy.

Reference

PIB | Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA)