Lok Sabha Question No. 122 (STARRED), answered on 2020-02-11
Subject: Foreign Fishing Trawlers in EEZ
Ministry: FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
Asked by: Shashi Tharoor

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES

## LOK SABHA

STARRED QUESTION No.*122

TO BE ANSWERED ON 11 TH  FEBRUARY, 2020

## FOREIGN FISHING TRAWLERS IN EEZ

## *122. DR. SHASHI THAROOR:

## Will  the  Minister  of  FISHERIES,  ANIMAL  HUSBANDRY  AND  DAIRYING मत्स्यपाऱन, पशुपाऱन और डेयरी मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) whether boat operators from Kerala have raised issue of presence of foreign fishing trawlers in India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ);
- (b)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  existing  legislation  for  protecting  the  country's fishing resources;
- (c) whether the intruding foreign vessels attract similar fines as native fishermen do for violations such as monsoon and juvenile fishing;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e) whether the Government will consider a uniform fishing law in the country and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING

(SHRI GIRIRAJ SINGH)

(a) to (e)  :    A Statement is placed on the Table of the House.

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## Statement referred to in reply to the Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 122 put in by Dr.  Shashi  Tharoor,  Member  of  Parliament  for  answer  on  11-02-2020  regarding 'Foreign fishing trawlers in EEZ'

(a)       Yes, sir.

(b)        A  Memorandum  dated 06-08-2019 from All Kerala Fishing Boat Operators Association was received, wherein concerns were raised on the issue of presence of foreign fishing vessels in India's  Exclusive  Economic  Zone  (EEZ).  As  present,  the  respective  State  Marine  Fishing Regulation Acts (MFRA) protect and regulate the fishery resources in the territorial waters of India  and  the  Maritime  Zones  of  India  (Regulation  of  Fishing  by  Foreign  Vessels)  Act,  1981 regulates fishing by foreign fishing vessels in the maritime zones of India.

(c) & (d)    No Sir. The intruding foreign fishing vessels attract fines and penalties for violations prescribed  for  fishing  without  license  and  in  contravention  of  the  provisions  of  the  Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of Fishing by Foreign Vessels) Act, 1981 (MZI Act) and the Rules made there under. In case of violations, including monsoon ban and juvenile fishing, the Indian fishing  vessels  are  governed  in  the  territorial  waters  of  the  respective  States  and  Union Territories in  accordance with the provisions of the  concerned Marine Fishing Regulation Act (MFRA).

(e)   Yes, Sir. Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, in accordance  with  the  recommendation  of  the  National  Policy  on  Marine  Fisheries,  2017,  is considering a uniform fishing law for sustainable development and management of fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone of India. The territorial waters (up to12 nautical miles from the baseline), falling under the jurisdiction of the respective coastal States and Union Territories, are governed  by  the  concerned  State  Marine  Fishing  Regulation  Act  drafted  on  the  lines  of  the model Marine Fisheries Regulations Bill, circulated by Government of India in 1979.

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