Lok Sabha Question No. 1443 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-29
Subject: Penalization of Errant  FMFO Units
Ministry: FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
Asked by: Shri E T Mohammed Basheer

## MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1443 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29 th  JULY, 2025

## Penalization of Errant FMFO Units

## 1443 Shri E T Mohammed Basheer:

## Will the Minister of FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING be

pleased to state:

The  details  of  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  devise  a  foolproof  mechanism  in coordination with states/UTs to penalize errant Fish Meal Fish Oil (FMFO) units that indulge in procuring juvenile fish or resort to using banned practices like Bull Trawling and LED fishing, beyond just continuous monitoring?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING

## (SHRI GEORGE KURIAN)

The  subject  matter  of  'Fisheries'  falls  under  'Entry  21'  of  the  State  List,  under  the  Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. The Government of India has prohibited the harmful fishing methods such as bull or pair trawling and use of artificial lights or LED lights for fishing in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of India to prevent unsustainable fishing practice, which may harm the marine ecosystem. All the maritime States and Union Territories(UTs) have been advised to take necessary steps to prevent pair or bull trawling and use of LED light for fishing within and beyond the territorial waters. The maritime States and UTs have also been advised (i) to issue necessary Government Orders (GOs) prohibiting destructive fishing methods including pair/bull trawling, use artificial  lights/  LED lights for fishing within their territorial waters, (ii) temporarily suspend the registration/license  of  fishing  vessel(s)  violating  the  Government  Orders.,  (iii)  cancel  the registration/license of such fishing vessel(s) on repeated violations, and (iv) inform Coast Guard and other marine enforcement agencies about such violators, with directions to prevent operation of such fishing vessels.

The Department of Fisheries, Government of India is implementing the uniform, 61-days ban on fishing  during  monsoon  or  fish  breeding  season.  The  coastal  States  and  UTs  are  also implementing the fishing ban in their territorial waters aligning with the uniform ban on fishing in the EEZ in order to protect fish during breeding period and prevention of juvenile fishing. Apart from mesh-size regulations, the coastal States like Kerala,  Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa have also implemented the minimum legal size (MLS) under their Marine Fishing Regulation Acts (MFRAs) for selected fish species to prevent fishing of juveniles.

The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt of India registers Fish Meal and Fish Oil (FMFO) units intending to export their products,  in  accordance  with  the  prescribed  registration  procedures.  This  process  ensures compliance with quality standards and required statutory approvals - including clearances from the local authority and Pollution Control Board (PCB). Upon verification of requisite documents and  assessment  of  the  facility,  MPEDA  determines  the  production  capacity  and  issues  a registration certificate to the unit. The certificate remains subject to cancellation if the unit is found to be in violation of any of the stipulated conditions under which it was granted.

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