Notice to state over proposed ban on fishing

First bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan issued notice returnable on November 28. It also directed the respondents which included the State and Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute and Department of Forest to file their counter within two weeks and directed the registry to post the plea pertaining to protection of Olive Ridley turtles along with this plea. 

The South India Meenavar Welfare Association represented by its president V Sankar had submitted that the said Government Order issued on September 27 prohibits fishing in almost the entire sea coast of TN in a bid to protect Olive Ridley turtles at the cost of poor fishermen as well as their families. 

Pointing out that the G.O which has been passed as understood by him was on the basis of a suo-motu PIL based on a newspaper report on turtle deaths, he submitted that country boat, catamaran and traditional boats were all small boats which were lesser than 15 m and having motors less than 25 horse power. These small boats do not have any mechanised method of fishing and were incapable of voyaging into the deep sea. 

If the death of the turtles had occurred due to injury of being run over by huge vessels or been entangled in nets, it cannot be blamed on the country boats and catamarans, which were incapable of carrying lengthy nets and which do not engage in mechanized method of fishing, he added. 

He also noted that if at all a proper investigation was conducted it would reveal that the death of the 35 turtles would have been caused only due to the fishing activities of the deep-sea fishing vessels, trawlers and mechanized vessels be running empty,”. Officials turn a blind eye to what is clearly bad plans sitting in the buses in front would have to rush to out.