Supreme Court Tells Tamil Nadu to Frame EEZ Fishing Transit Rules
· India · The Hindu, Hindustan Times
The Supreme Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to frame rules creating a specified navigation channel under the Marine Fishing Regulation Rules, 2020, for purse seine fishing vessels travelling from the state's territorial waters into the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). A Division Bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe issued the order on Wednesday, urging cooperative federalism between the Centre and the state. Tamil Nadu had argued that fishers could misuse purse seine nets within 12 nautical miles of territorial waters under the pretext of heading to the EEZ, while fishers countered that the 2020 Rules were being used to block them from even carrying the nets beyond territorial limits. The court held that fishing within territorial waters is governed by the Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulation Rules, 2020, while activity beyond falls under the Centre's EEZ Rules, 2025, which require vessels to carry an access pass.
Why it matters
Tamil Nadu's purse seine fishers gain a legal pathway to access deep-sea fishing zones beyond 12 nautical miles, directly affecting their livelihoods and the state's seafood supply. The ruling also clarifies the jurisdictional boundary between state and central fishing regulation, setting precedent for other coastal states.
Read the original report — The Hindu
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