SC seeks reply of Centre on plea against ban on purse seine nets for fishing in Tamil Nadu

The plea said now the ban on the purse seine nets would come in the way of fishermen as they could not fish even after June 15.Earlier, the Madras High Court had held that there was no illegality in banning the use of purse seine nets for fishing in Tamil Nadu.

The Supreme Court on Thursday sought a response from the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government on a plea challenging the state's decision to ban the use of purse seine nets for fishing. The Tamil Nadu government, on February 17, 2022, passed the order banning fishing using purse seine nets, a large wall of netting deployed around an entire area.

A vacation bench of justices A S Bopanna and Vikram Nath issued notice to the respondents on a plea filed by one Gnansekar and others against the decision of the state government.

The counsel for Gnansekar and other fishermen said that the fishing is only a three-month season and the ban on the purse seine nets would adversely affect the livelihood of around 15 lakhs fishermen in Tamil Nadu. The fishermen, in their plea, said, "The law had been passed by the State without considering the expert committee and the fishermen and as a result of this 15 lakh people had lost their job. Most of the fishermen are from a weak society and their family members are starving. All export units have been closed by the State of Tamil Nadu in an arbitrary manner." In Tamil Nadu, the fishing ban is implemented from April 15 to June 15 to help the breeding of fish schools and help them recover from mechanized fishing. The plea said now the ban on the purse seine nets would come in the way of fishermen as they could not fish even after June 15.

Earlier, the Madras High Court had held that there was no illegality in banning the use of purse seine nets for fishing in Tamil Nadu.

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