MARGAO: The High Court of Bombay at Goa directed the State authorities to come up with an action plan to ensure that mechanised fishing does not take place in the prohibited zone.
The HC was hearing a petition in this regard by the All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union.
Earlier, the Attorney General (AG) Devidas Pangam, asked the court for two weeks to file an affidavit placing the details and statistics of the action taken against mechanised fishing in the prohibited zone on record.
“The authorities must come up with an action plan to ensure that mechanised fishing does not take place in the prohibited zone and the prohibition contained in the notification dated July 7, 1981 is enforced. In formulating the action plan, the authorities must also consider the petitioner’s suggestions as set out in this petition,” the HC Bench comprising Justice Bharat P Deshpande and Justice M S Sonak, said.
It may be recalled that in previous hearings, the petitioner had made a grievance about fishing activities by mechanised vessels despite there being a clear statutory prohibition as per the notification dated July 7, 1981 issued by the government under Section 4(1) of the Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1980.
During the previous hearing, the HC had directed that the authorities concerned to enforce the Act that prohibits mechanised fishing within 5 km from the coast in the sea and warned that action would be initiated against the officials if such activities take place in spite of the ban.
The HC had directed the Director of Fisheries and Coastal Security Superintendent of Police (SP) to file separate affidavits by the end of January.
In this latest matter, the HC scheduled the next hearing for March 11, 2024. The court had also issued instructions for the Captain of Ports (CoP) to be impleaded as Respondent in the case.
Earlier, the petitioner had complained that alleged illegal fishing was still taking place in Zuari River, which they said was in violation of the HC directives given in January 2024.
The petitioner had also complained that most of their complaints with the authorities concerned were not being addressed.