REGULATION OF FISHING BY FOREIGN VESSELSCentral

Section 3 of The Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of Fishing by Foreign Vessels) Act, 1981

Subject to the provisions of this Act, no foreign vessel shall, except under and in accordance with--

(a)a licence granted under section 4; or
(b)a permit granted under section 5, by the Central Government, be used for fishing within any maritime zone of India.

Summary

Foreign vessels are strictly banned from fishing in the maritime zones of India.
The only way a foreign vessel can legally fish in these zones is if it has a special permission.
This permission must be either a licence or a permit.
These licences and permits are only granted by the Central Government.

Practical examples

1A Chinese ship enters the Indian exclusive economic zone on May 10, 2024, and starts dropping nets. Because they do not have a licence or permit from the Central Government, they are breaking the law.

2A foreign vessel operates off the coast of Mumbai, but the owner has an official licence paper signed by the Central Government. This vessel is fishing legally.

FAQ

1. Can a foreign vessel fish in Indian waters without any paperwork?

No, it is absolutely prohibited unless they have the correct documents.

2. What documents does a foreign vessel need to fish legally?

They must have either a licence granted under section 4 or a permit granted under section 5.

3. Can a local state government give a foreign vessel permission to fish?

No, the permission must be granted by the Central Government.

Test yourself

Q1.Under Section 3 of The Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of Fishing by Foreign Vessels) Act, 1981, what is the general rule for foreign vessels fishing in Indian maritime zones?

Q2.Under Section 3 of The Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of Fishing by Foreign Vessels) Act, 1981, who is authorized to grant the required permission for foreign vessels to fish?

Q3.Under Section 3 of The Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of Fishing by Foreign Vessels) Act, 1981, what two types of permissions allow a foreign vessel to fish legally?

Q4.Understanding both Section 3 and Section 4 of The Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of Fishing by Foreign Vessels) Act, 1981, if a foreign vessel owner obtains a document under Section 4, what are they exempted from?

Q5.Understanding both Section 3 and Section 5 of The Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of Fishing by Foreign Vessels) Act, 1981, what document must an Indian citizen get under Section 5 to legally use a foreign vessel for fishing despite the ban in Section 3?

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