Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation

15/10/2026

ANDAMAN FISHERS DISCUSSED NPOA-SSF

A stakeholder consultation on NPOA-SSF Marine was held in Diglipur on 13 October 2026, covering North and Middle Andaman. The consultation was conducted by the National Forum for Small-Scale Fisheries (NFSF) and Dakshin Foundation, with support from the BOBP-IGO; Department of Fisheries, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Subhash Gram Panchayat.

The event was a part of the nationwide consultation series coordinated by the BOBP-IGO to prepare the National Plan of Action for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Marine Fisheries in India.

Thirty-five representatives, including fishers, women fishworkers and fish vendors from diverse island fishing communities, took part.
Fishers expressed their concern over the sustainability of stocks and highlighted the need to secure tenure rights in nearshore fishing grounds. They also called for stronger representation of fishing communities in decision-making.

The community inputs will contribute to India’s National Plan of Action for Securing Sustainable Marine Small-Scale Fisheries The NPOA-SSF Marine is scheduled for release on World Fisheries Day, 21 November 2026.

13/10/2026

NPOA-SSF MARINE: FISHERS ALONG INDIA’S COASTS ARE HELPING TO WRITE THE NATIONAL PLAN THAT WILL SHAPE THEIR FUTURE

The Department of Fisheries, Government of India, is preparing a National Plan of Action for Securing Sustainable Marine Small-Scale Fisheries (NPOA-SSF Marine). The plan follows the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Small-Scale Fisheries and India’s National Policy on Marine Fisheries, 2017.

The work began with a national workshop in Puducherry on 31 August–1 September 2026. Since then, BOBP-IGO has been coordinating a series of community consultations with community and civil society organisations. Each meeting is held in the local language, and women and young people have their own discussions.

Dr P. Krishnan, Director, BOBP-IGO, said that the consultations are bringing the fishers’ own concerns, on rights, safety at sea, social security and the place of women, directly into the national plan.

These consultations are happening in all the coastal states and Union Territories. So far, nine consultations have been organised in five states: West Bengal (03), Odisha (01), Andhra Pradesh (02), Tamil Nadu (01), Kerala (01), and Andaman & Nicobar Islands (01). Fishers and fishing-allied workers of different practices and scales are participating in these events. Women working in various professions, from catching to net mending to drying, were present in large numbers during the consultations and actively participated in the discussions.

05/10/2026

BUILDING AWARENESS AND CAPACITY FOR THE EAFM APPROACH

Bay of Bengal Programme Intergovernmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO), ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CMFRI) and Environmental Defense India Foundation (EDIF India), jointly conducted an Awareness and Capacity Training on Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (ACT-EAFM) from 28 September to 1 October 2026 at ICAR-CMFRI, Kochi. The training was led by Dr. E. Vivekanandan, International Consultant, BOBLME Project, BOBP-IGO and Mr. C. M. Muralidharan, EAFM Consultant, as the resource persons. The training brought together 20 scientists from ICAR-CMFRI and EDIF and focused on expert presentations and practical group activities. Participants explored selected FMUs representing diverse fisheries and aquaculture systems.

The programme strengthened participants’ understanding of the EAFM process and resulted in draft EAFM Plans for the four fisheries.

01/10/2026

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01/10/2026

26/09/2026

REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON MARITIME DOMAIN AWARENESS DIGITAL EVIDENCE AND RESILIENCE HELD IN COLOMBO

BOBP-IGO joined the Regional Workshop on Maritime Domain Awareness as Digital Evidence was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka from 13–15 September 2026. The MDA workshop, organized by UNODC, brought together representatives from Bangladesh, India, Maldives and Sri Lanka including Departments of Fisheries, Coast Guards, Navies, IFC-IOR, IFC Colombo, Police, Prosecution, Environment Authorities and investigation agencies to strengthen capacity in preserving, authenticating and presenting MDA-derived data as digital evidence. It was followed by Expert Group Meeting on Submarine Cable Protection and Resilience held from 16 to 17 September 2026 in Colombo.

Vice Admiral G. Ashok Kumar (Retd), Adviser, BOBP-IGO, attended both meetings. He traced MDA evolution in India from a Navy initiative to a multi-agency endeavour post 26/11 leading to IMAC, NC3I and IFC-IOR. He emphasised challenges of MDA in a crowded IOR with about 30,000 ships, its key constituents including Coastal Radar, AIS, VATMS, LRIT, White Shipping and Space-based AIS, compilation through White Shipping Agreements and AI-based CS & DS system, and multi-agency coordination through NMSC, SMSCs and MAMSGs. He also touched upon underwater domain awareness challenges. A field visit to Information Fusion Centre Colombo was also conducted as part of the MDA workshop

22/09/2026

Home News & Events How Women Are Reshaping Liv... Share: Story 21 Sep, 2026 How women are reshaping livelihoods along Bangladesh's shifting shores Photo: IUCN Bangladesh Mamata Begum is an experienced homestead farmer and community leader in Nijhum Dwip, Bangladesh 40-year-old Mamata Begum describes...

10/09/2026

COFI AND BOBP: DIRECTOR, BOBP PARTICIPATED ON MULTIPLE PLATFORMS TO SHARE THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT STORY

Attending the 3rd SSF Summit and COFI37, Dr P Krishnan, Director, BOBP, invested on building new bridges for the region, debriefing on regional progress in fisheries governance and highlighting the issues that need further support. Delegates from the member countries made this happen through active support!

10/09/2026

BOBP@COFI37: BOBP-IGO MEMBERS PRESENT REGIONAL FISHERIES PROPOSAL TO FAO ADG

On the margins of COFI37 in Rome, BOBP-IGO member countries presented a memorandum to Prof. Manuel Barange, Assistant Director-General, FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, proposing a stronger FAO–BOBP-IGO framework for regional fisheries cooperation in the Bay of Bengal.

Presented by Dr Kolitha Kamal Jinadasa, Chair of the BOBP-IGO Governing Council, and Dr P. Krishnan, Director, BOBP-IGO, the memorandum reflects the common priorities articulated by Bangladesh, India, Maldives and Sri Lanka during COFI37.

The proposed 2027–2030 joint work programme focuses on three areas: advancing National and Regional Plans of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries; strengthening regional fisheries data and stock-assessment capacity; and operationalising the Bay of Bengal RPOA-IUU through closer linkage with FAO’s global instruments and capacity-development programmes.

The proposal builds on the long-standing FAO–BOBP partnership and seeks to translate global fisheries commitments into coordinated regional and national action across the Bay of Bengal.

10/09/2026

BOBP@COFI37: EAFM AND SSF PLAN PROGRESS IN BOBLME SHOWCASED

Dr P. Krishnan, Director, BOBP-IGO, together with Ms Angela Lentisco of FAO, joined the 'Speakers’ Corner' at the sidelines of the COFI37 to narrate the BOBLME story of co-developing EAFM and NPOA-SSF and share the lessons learned. Dr. B.K. Kolitha Kamal Jinadasa, Secretary to the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources of Sri Lanka; Dr. Md. Khaled Kanak, DG (Fisheries), Bangladesh; Dr Hussain Sinan, DG (Fisheries), the Maldives, joined them on the dais and shared national experiences.

The session highlighted progress under BOBLME in Bangladesh, India, the Maldives and Sri Lanka, the first regional cohort to develop NPOA-SSF through a coordinated process, with plans moving towards completion and launch in 2027.