Supreme Court criticizes unwritten ban on Tamil Nadu fishermen

The Supreme Court of India has criticized an “unwritten ban” on Tamil Nadu fishermen regarding the use of purse seine nets in the Centre’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The court noted that the state government has been failing to grant necessary access passes, hindering the fishermen's ability to practice their profession.

A bench comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe emphasized the necessity of “cooperative federalism,” stating that both the Union and the state administrations are responsible for ensuring stakeholders have efficient access to their fundamental rights under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution.

The court expressed concern over the status of applications on the Registration and Licensing of Fishing Craft Portal (ReALCRaft Portal), describing the lack of coordination between the Union’s issuing authority and the state’s verifying authority as “disturbing.” The rights and liabilities of the parties involved will henceforth be governed by the EEZ Rules, 2025, and the Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulation Rules, 2020.