TN amends law giving thrust for deep sea fishing

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Assembly today passed amendments to a fishing law envisaging a thrust for deep sea fishing, enhancing coastal security and better regulation of fishing and management of fishery resources.

The bill, seeking to amend the Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1983 was adopted amid objections from Left parties over provisions including penalties.

While CPI(M) MLA, K Balakrishnan said the bill should be referred to a select committee and pointed to provisions like penalty clauses, S Gunasekaran (CPI) wanted the new government to be in place after the coming election to scrutinise it.

The amendment says no owner or master of a mechanised fishing vessel shall go in for fishing within five nautical miles from the coastline.

Fishing, in effect, for such vessels is allowed only beyond five nautical miles and such operation too would be subject to conditions that may be specified by the government.

Levying penalty not exceeding Rs 15,000 for specified offences, ban for fishing species declared protected under Wild Life (Protection) Act are some of the other features of the bill.

Also, the bill has brought in a provision mandating driving licence to drive mechanised fishing vessel. Importance has been given to sea safety, surveillance and communication systems as well.

Among other provisions are the ones related to fishing gears. "No owner or master of a fishing vessel shall use or cause or allow to be used the fishing vessel for fishing by using prohibited gear and shall also not carry any prohibited gear on board," was among such provisions.

The use of purse seine and pair seines nets are banned in Tamil Nadu.