Approach Environment, Fisheries Ministries; NGT on plea for mandatory use of turtle excluder devices for fishermen

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed a petitioner to approach the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying with his plea seeking to enact regulatory measures under the Marine Fisheries Regulations Act for mandatory use of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) for fishermen and to frame guidelines for safe disposal of fishing gear.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed a petitioner to approach the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying with his plea seeking to enact regulatory measures under the Marine Fisheries Regulations Act for mandatory use of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) for fishermen and to frame guidelines for safe disposal of fishing gear. A bench of the NGT, headed by its chairperson Adarsh Kumar, Goel said, "We do not find questions for adjudication in the prayer of the applicant which is by way of suggestions to the authorities. For doing so, the applicant ought to approach the statutory authorities."

The NGT disposed of the petition with liberty to the applicant to approach the concerned authorities, including the two ministries for considering the suggestions and issuing such instructions to the concerned state authorities as deemed fit. The bench was hearing a plea filed by Arnav Sinha through advocate Jai A Dehadrai Sinha, seeking directions to enact regulatory measures under the Marine Fisheries Regulations Act for mandatory use of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) for the fishermen and to make provision for strict vigilance mechanism and guidelines for safe disposal of fishing gear.

According to the Sinha, sea turtles are an endangered species and the State Fisheries Departments of coastal states have failed to take necessary safeguards against fishing activities, causing further danger to the sea turtles. In the plea, he also cited reference related to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, 1973, the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, 1979, and the Convention on Biological Diversity. (ANI)

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