Against the backdrop of a dwindling marine fisheries resource base, declining catch rates, and escalating conflicts about securing rights over oceanic resources, this paper emphasises the need to relook at the marine fisheries regulatory regime in the country with a view to better align it to address outstanding issues and emerging challenges.

Traditional fish workers and trawl operators in Kerala, long at loggerheads, have framed a code of responsible fishing practices. The article argues that this landmark agreement between two hitherto irreconcilable groups was borne out of a crisis in pelagic fish resources. It also argues that the agreement holds important lessons for multi-stakeholder governance in the fisheries sector.