The purse seiners use for fishing in Tamil Nadu must note that ‘freedom in a commons brings ruin to all’ and must comply with conservation measures.
Purse Seiners use in India:
Permit to pursue:The Supreme Court of India gave permission to fishermen using purse seine fishing gear to fish beyond territorial waters (12 nautical miles) and within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) (200 nautical miles) of Tamil Nadu, but observing certain restrictions.
Administration vs Conservation:The Court’s interim order is against the banning of purse seine fishing by the Tamil Nadu Government in February 2022. SC was more concerned about regulating fishing with administrative and transparency measures than about the conservation measures and obligations which a coastal state owes in its EEZ under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Impact on livelihood: Purse seiners tend to overfish, unlike traditional fishermen using traditional fish gear, thus endangering the livelihood of the traditional fisher.