Prelims: Current events of national and international importance | Economy
Why in News?
Recently SC clarified that Purse seine nets allowed only beyond 12 nm in EEZ under Centre’s regulation, prohibited within 0–12 nm territorial waters under State control.
- Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) – It is an area of the ocean, generally extending 200 nautical miles (230 miles) beyond a nation’s territorial sea, within which a coastal nation has jurisdiction over both living and non-living resources.
- It was adopted through the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
- Under international law, within its defined EEZ, a coastal nation has:
- Sovereign Rights – Explore, exploit, conserve, and manage the seabed, subsoil, and waters.
- Jurisdiction – Artificial islands, research, marine environment protection.
- Relevant Legal Framework
- Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulation Rules, 2020 – It governs fishing activities within 12 nautical miles, corresponding to state waters.
- Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the EEZ Rules, 2025 (EEZ Rules, 2025) – It regulates fishing in the Exclusive Economic Zone (12 to 200 nautical miles) under central government jurisdiction.
- Marine Products Export Development Authority Act, 1972 (MPEDA Act, 1972) – It establishes registration requirements for export-oriented and regulated fishing operations.
- The Court determined that there is no conflict between the 2020 state rules and the 2025 central EEZ rules, as each applies to a distinct maritime zone.
Purse Seine Fishing – A commercial fishing method that uses a large wall of netting to encircle a dense school of pelagic fish, closing at the bottom like a drawstring purse to trap the catch.
Reference
Indian Express | Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
