Bay of Bengal Reforms Small-Scale Fisheries Governance

At the FAO Sub-Committee on Fisheries Management meeting in Reykjavik in February 2026, BOBP-IGO proposed FAO-regional collaboration to overhaul small-scale fisheries governance across India, Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri Lanka, urging nationally owned National Plans of Action. The roadmap emphasizes phasing out ageing vessels, circular-economy disposal, social protection, joint stock assessments and AI-based monitoring to boost safety, incomes and sustainability.