Port Blair: In a significant step towards streamlining fisheries administration and ensuring an accurate database of active fishing vessels, the Fisheries Department has initiated proceedings to cancel the registration of several Mechanized Motorized (MM) fishing vessels in South Andaman that are no longer operational or whose status has raised concerns during official verification. The Zonal Fisheries Officer, South Andaman, has prepared a list of vessels proposed for deregistration following a detailed scrutiny of available records and assessment of the present physical condition of the vessels concerned. The exercise is aimed at maintaining an updated and transparent registry of active fishing vessels operating in the Islands.
According to officials, the proposed cancellation follows a verification process undertaken to identify vessels that may no longer be in operation or do not meet the requirements for continued registration. The initiative is expected to strengthen regulatory oversight and improve the management of fisheries resources in the region. To ensure transparency and provide affected stakeholders an opportunity to present their case, the list of vessels proposed for cancellation has been published on the official websites of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration and the Department of Fisheries. The list has also been displayed on the notice boards of the Zonal Fisheries Office, South Andaman, and the Fish Landing Centre at Junglighat.
Vessel owners, operators and other stakeholders have been invited to carefully examine the published list and submit any objections, claims or relevant information concerning the vessels included therein. Representations, along with supporting documents, may be submitted to the Zonal Fisheries Office, South Andaman, within seven days from the date of publication of the notice.
The Fisheries Department has emphasized that the exercise is intended to ensure that only genuinely operational and compliant vessels remain on the official registry, thereby enhancing accountability and facilitating better monitoring of fishing activities. Officials have further clarified that no objections or claims received after the stipulated deadline will be entertained. Stakeholders have therefore been urged to act promptly and make use of the opportunity provided before final decisions on cancellation are taken.
The initiative marks another important administrative effort towards maintaining accurate fisheries records and promoting effective governance of the Island’s fishing sector.
