In Brief
Fisherman Care, a fishing association, challenged Tamil Nadu's ban on purse seine fishing within its territorial waters and sought permission to fish using this method beyond the state's borders within the Exclusive Economic Zone. The High Court had dismissed the challenge as representing only "affluent fishermen." The Supreme Court recognized competing interests: industrial fishermen dependent on the costly technology and traditional fishing communities relying on conventional methods. While the substantive question remains under examination, the Court granted interim relief allowing purse seine fishing beyond territorial waters but within the EEZ, subject to strict conditions including vessel tracking systems, twice-weekly operation, crew identification, and mandatory reporting to state fisheries authorities.", <parameter name="citations">[]
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