SC allows purse seine fishing beyond TN’s territorial waters with conditions

NEW DELHI: In a relief to Tamil Nadu fishermen the Supreme Court on Tuesday conditionally allowed purse seine fishing beyond the territorial waters of the state, but within the Exclusive Economic Zone.

A bench of Justices AS Bopanna and Sudhanshu Dhulia noted some coastal states like Gujarat, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka, Goa and West Bengal have not made any restrictions on purse seine fishing (PSF) within their territorial waters.

“This ban has been imposed by Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. The coastal states are therefore divided on this issue,” it noted.

The apex court said its prima facie opinion is that the interest of all parties needs to be protected and imposed a slew of conditions, including only registered fishing vessels that is a fishing vessel registered under Section 11 of the Marine Products Export Development Authority Act, 1972 and registered with the state government under rules and regulations currently in force in Tamil Nadu will be given permission to do such fishing.

It said the Fisheries department will give permission to only those boats where an approved Vessel Tracking System (VTS) has been installed and which shall be kept running during the operating time ofthe vessels.

The top court added that these vessels will be allowed to operate only twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays. All other restrictions of non-fishing period will apply to them.

It said the vessels which will be given this permission shall leave the coastline on or after 8 am and shall return to the designated place positively by 6 pm the same day.

The top court added it will be mandatory for all sailors to keep their biometric card/photo ID with them. It will be compulsory for them to provide the VTS code to the Fisheries Department, Marine Police, Coast Guard and the Indian Navy.

It said the Fisheries Department of the state shall also give a colour code to these PSF boats for the said purposes and the registration number of these vessels shall be prominently displayed on the boat.

“In order to ensure that the vessels have fished only outside the territorial waters of the state, the tracking data of each vessel for each of its trips shall be submitted the same day to the concerned Assistant Commissioner, Fisheries, or such other designated officer, after the vessels reach ashore,” the bench said.

“The State Fisheries Department shall display on its website the permission granted by it for this kind of fishing that is Purse Seine Fishing to such individuals/companies as the case might be and the registration number of each of the vessels,” it said.