India has assumed the chairmanship of the Bay of Bengal Intergovernmental Organisation at the 13th Governing Council meeting held in Male, Maldives.
India assumed the chairmanship in the presence of senior government representatives from Sri Lanka, Maldives and Bangladesh, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying said in a press release.
The event was part of the High-Level Conference on ‘Policy Guidelines for Mainstreaming Ecosystem Approach (EAFM) for Fisheries Management in Small-Scale Fisheries’, successfully convened by the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources of Maldives in collaboration with the Bay of Bengal Programme Intergovernmental Organization (BOBP-IGO) in Lankanfinolhu, Maldives from 20 to 22 February 2025.
According to the ministry, the Indian delegation was led by Secretary, Department of Fisheries, Abhilaksh Likhi. He stressed that India is committed to safeguarding and building on the achievements of the Bay of Bengal Programme Intergovernmental Organization (BOBP-IGO) as the leadership shifts from Bangladesh to India. He assured that the Department of Fisheries (GoI) will work diligently to take the success of BOBP-IGO to new heights and provide a clear direction for all future efforts for the development of the fisheries sector across all member countries.
Abhilaksh Likhi stressed the importance of regional cooperation and the crucial role that India and other countries play in advancing the interests of developing nations.
According to the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, key areas for enhancing regional cooperation include marine resource management, training and capacity development programmes, research and policy formulation, combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and addressing regional issues.
“As India looks forward to continued support and cooperation from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the South-East Asian Fisheries Development Centre (SEAFDEC), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and other relevant organizations, the Secretary, Department of Fisheries (GoI) called upon all member countries to enhance and foster mutual cooperation through sharing of knowledge, technology, experience, data and best practices. The collaborations are expected to strengthen the blue economy of the region, harmonize economic development with the protection of the marine ecosystem and help in poverty alleviation,” the ministry said.
During the meeting, the Secretary, Department of Fisheries (GoI) highlighted India’s development policies aimed at improving the well-being of the small-scale fisheries sector and the sustainable measures being implemented under its various schemes and programmes.
With the successful conclusion of this important event and India assuming the chairmanship of BoBP-IGO, it will be the endeavour of the Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying to not only steer the member countries in a more effective and efficient manner through collaborative efforts but also ensure that significant progress is made in the development of Small Scale Fisheries (SSF) in the region.
This achievement not only provides international leadership and accountability to India but is also expected to bring about multiple improvements towards achieving the national goal of ‘Vixit Bharat 2047’, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying said.
