9/17/2016

ClarificationfromAgricultureMinistryinRelationtoRightsofFishermenandFishingBan

PressInformationBureau
GovernmentofIndia
MinistryofAgriculture
27May201519:57IST

ClarificationfromAgricultureMinistryinRelationtoRightsofFishermenandFishingBan

Ministry of Agriculture today issued a clarification regarding the rights of fishermen and fishing ban. The
clarificationisasfollows:
1.ImpositionofFishingbanwithin12nauticalmilesisthesubjectoftheStateGovernments,whichisimposed
in the interests of the livelihood of fishermen. The Fishing ban of different periods have been imposed by the
coastalStateGovernmentssincelasttwodecadesForexample,WestBengal,AndhraPradesh,TamilNaduand
Keralaimposebanof47days(applicablefrom198889)inOdishaitis60days(appliedsince2000)Gujarat,
MaharashtraandGoaimposebanof67days(effectivefrom198990)andDaman&Diuareimposingbanof75
days,whereasinKarnatakaitisappliedfor57days.Infact,Keralawasthefirststatetoimposefishingbaninits
territorial waters in the country. Coastal State Governments have been advised to follow the same duration of
uniformFishingBanwithintheirterritorialwaters(of0to12nauticalmiles)asitisimplementedintheEEZ(12
to200nauticalmiles)adjacenttotheirterritorialwaters.IncasewheresomeState(s)/UT(s)prefertoimplement
adifferentFishingBanPeriodintheirterritorialwaters,theyhavebeenadvisedtoreach61daysbanperiodin
theirterritorialwatersgraduallywithinaperiodof05yearsforthepurposeofensuringuniformity.
2.AsfarasthefishingbanintheareaofEEZ(beyond12nauticalmiles)isconcerned,itwasearlierappliedfor
periodof47days.However,itwasobservedthatitwasnotmatchingwiththebanperiodofdifferentstates,as
stateswerealsoimplementingdifferentfishingbanintheirwaters.Becauseofthegapinbetweenthefishingban
periods of different states and EEZ, boats of one state were entering into the waters of another state, thereby
causingdisputes.Consideringtheabovesituation,itwasdecidedthatauniformbanof61dayswillbeappliedin
the area of the Indian EEZ (beyond 12 nautical miles to up to 200 nautical miles). The above proposal was
agreedtobyallthecoastalstates/UTsexceptKerala.However,itisalsoafactthatKerala,itselfhadpreviously
appliedthefishingbanof61daysduring1988,andbanof67daysduring2006initsterritorialwaters.
3.ItmayalsobementionedthatFishingBanintheEEZhasbeenincreasedfrom47daysto61daysbasedonthe
recommendation of a Technical Committee of scientists that was constituted under the Chairmanship of the
Director, CMFRI, Cochin. The said Committee was formed during May 2013, i.e., at the time of the UPA
Government.TheCommitteeinitsreporthasrecommendedforfishingbanintheEastCoastfromApril15till
June14(61days),andfromJune1toJuly31(61days)intheWestCoast.
4.AmeetingwasheldonMarch18,2015bytheUnionAgricultureMinisterwiththeministers/officialsofthe
coastalState/UTGovernmentsanditwasunanimouslydecidedtohavethesamedatesforcommencementof
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9/17/2016

ClarificationfromAgricultureMinistryinRelationtoRightsofFishermenandFishingBan

fishingbanintheEastandWestCoast.ItwasagreedduringthemeetingthatintheEastcoaststatesthebanwill
commencefromApril15,whileinthewestcoastthefishingbanwillbeimplementedfrom1stJune.However,
within their territorial waters of 12 nautical miles, the States will decide their own fishing ban "period" and
applicabilityoffishingbanontypeofboats"aspertheirownconvenience.Duringthemeeting,allthecoastal
states/UTs(exceptKerala)havegiventheirconsentforextendingtheperiodoffishingbanfrom47daysto61
days.However,Keralawasoftheopiniontoimposefishingbanof47days.
5.TheUPAGovernment,inAugust2013,hadalsoconstitutedanExpertCommitteeunderthechairpersonship
ofDrMeenaKumari,andtheCommitteeinitsreporthassuggestedthatfishingbyforeignvesselsorthrough
Joint ventures may be considered to tap the unutilized fishery resources available in our Exclusive Economic
Zone (EEZ) till the requisite capacity is developed in our country. However, the present Government has
categoricallyrejectedtheabovesuggestionafterconsultingtheMinistersandseniorofficialsofallcoastalStates.
6.WeshouldbeawarethatthefishingbanhasnotbeenimposedforthefirsttimeorbythecurrentGovernment
only,butithasbeenimposedoverthepasttwodecades,withthemotivetoensureconservationoffishduringits
breedingperiod,sothatfishermencangetthemaximumbenefit.Otherwise,thefishproductivitywilldecrease,
andthedamagewillbecausedmostlytothetraditionalfishermen.Fishingbanisimposedduringthemonsoon
season,andastheseabecomesturbulent,thefishingbanisnecessarytoprotectlifeofthefishermen.
7.TheCentralgovernmentisallowingforeignfishingshipsiscompletelyuntrue.Whereas,itwasaCommittee
constituted during previous government that has suggested to allow foreign vessels, which has not been
consideredbythepresentGovernment.NoforeignfishingvesselisallowedinIndianwatersirrespectiveofany
ban period. Besides, in case, any foreign vessel is found engaged in illegal fishing in the Indian waters, the
IndianCoastGuardistakingstrictactionagainstsuchvesselanditispunishedasperthelaw,whichincludes
seizureofforeignvessel(s)anditsarrestofitscrewmembers.
8.AsfarasissueofLetterofPermission(LOP)isconcerned,itisinformedthatthispracticewasstartedin2002,
and continued since then. It is clarified that LOPs are issued only to Indian entrepreneurs for acquisition and
operationofresourcespecificdeepseafishingvesselsandnottoforeignfishingvessels.TheLOPvesselsare
allowedtofishonlyintheareaofEEZ,beyondterritorialwaters.
SS/clarification

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