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← 20 October 2026's Current Affairs · International Relations GA Prelims ★★★★☆ Mains ★★★☆☆

India's association with the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement

20 October 2026 · ⏱ 2 நிமிடம் · GS-II: International agreements; GS-III: Blue economy

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ஏன் செய்தியில்?

Tuna has a separate commission, so what does SIOFA manage? The high-seas fisheries split for Prelims

Government approval linked to SIOFA puts the spotlight on high-seas fisheries governance.

Why it matters: factual, Prelims-type

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What you need to know

2 நிமிடம்

The Government of India has approved moves linked to the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA), according to current-affairs reports.

SIOFA is a regional arrangement for managing non-tuna fishery resources on the high seas of the southern Indian Ocean, while tuna is managed by a separate regional commission.

ஆதாரங்கள்: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)

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முக்கிய உண்மைகள்

Remember these

  • SIOFA = Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement, a regional fisheries management arrangement
  • It covers non-tuna fishery resources on the high seas of the southern Indian Ocean
  • Tuna is managed separately by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC)
  • High seas lie beyond national Exclusive Economic Zones (200 nautical miles under UNCLOS)
  • Fisheries inside EEZs stay under national jurisdiction
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ப்ரிலிம்ஸ் · மெயின்ஸ்

How the exam will ask it

ப்ரிலிம்ஸ்

  • SIOFA deals with non-tuna fishery resources on the high seas of the southern Indian Ocean.
  • Tuna and tuna-like species in the Indian Ocean are managed by a separate body, the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission.
  • Regional fisheries arrangements like SIOFA do not govern fisheries within the Exclusive Economic Zones of coastal states.

மெயின்ஸ்

GS-II (international agreements) and GS-III (blue economy). High-seas fish stocks fall outside national jurisdiction, so regional bodies like SIOFA set conservation and management rules under UNCLOS-based frameworks. Engagement offers India access to deep-sea resources and a voice in rule-making, but demands sustainable practices, monitoring capacity and data-sharing; the way forward is stronger deep-sea fishing capacity aligned with conservation norms.

5

Quick recall

Answer before you reveal

The Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA) is a regional arrangement for the management of:

  1. Tuna and tuna-like species across the entire Indian Ocean
  2. Marine mammals such as whales and dolphins in the Indian Ocean
  3. Non-tuna fishery resources on the high seas of the southern Indian Ocean
  4. Coastal fisheries within the Exclusive Economic Zones of member states
விடையைக் காட்டு

விடை: C — The correct answer is Non-tuna fishery resources on the high seas of the southern Indian Ocean. SIOFA covers non-tuna fishery resources on the high seas of the southern Indian Ocean, while tuna is handled by a separate commission.

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