Purse Seine Fishing

Why in news?

• The Centre has told the Supreme Court that a ban imposed by certain coastal States on purse seine fishing, which is known to disadvantage endangered species, is not justified.

About Purse Seine Fishing:

• It is an internationally used scientific method to catch fish, particularly from the first layer of the sea.
• It is the best and most efficient fishing technique to catch small, shoaling fishes.
• It uses a large vertical net to surround dense shoals of pelagic or midwater fish in the open ocean, and then draws in the edges like tightening the cords of a drawstring purse.
• A vertical net ‘curtain’ is used to surround the school of fish, the bottom of which is then drawn together to enclose the fish, rather like tightening the cords of a drawstring purse.
• It is deployed widely on India’s western coasts.

Add ons:

• As fishing is a state subject, this mode of fishing is prohibited by Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Odisha, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Andaman and Nicobar Islands in their respective territorial waters of up to 12 nautical miles.
• However, states like Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, and West Bengal have not imposed any such ban on purse seine fishing.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Consider the following statements regarding ‘Purse seine fishing’:

1. It is usually adopted to catch small, shoaling fishes

2. This mode of fishing is prohibited all over India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer