Staff Reporter
Panaji
The High Court of Bombay at Goa has directed the director of fisheries and the designated authorised officer under the Marine Act to take all necessary steps to ensure that the ban on LED fishing, bull trawling, and pair trawling is strictly enforced as per the provisions of the Marine Act and the central government’s order dated November 10, 2017.
The HC directed the directorate of fisheries, the Director General of the Coast Guard through its district commander, and the superintendent of police (coastal security) to file compliance and action-taken reports before the court every three months. The first report is due on September 2, 2025.
It stated that the authorities must coordinate with and seek assistance from the Goa coastal police and the Indian Coast Guard.
The directive came in response to petitions seeking to prohibit mechanised fishing vessels from carrying LED lamps on board.
The court instructed the director of fisheries and the Goa coastal police to conduct regular inspections of fishing vessels arriving at or departing from all the six jetties of the fisheries department in North and South Goa, as well as any private jetties used by such vessels. These inspections must specifically check for equipment that may be used in the banned fishing practices.
The court further ordered that inspection records must detail permits and compliance with statutory requirements under the Merchant Shipping Act and the Inland Vessels Act. In cases of non-compliance, the registration of the vessels and any fishing permits or passes must be immediately suspended or revoked.
The Director General of the Coast Guard has been directed to ensure continuous patrolling of Goa’s maritime zones, including aerial surveillance, to prevent illegal fishing practices. The court authorised the Coast Guard to use all necessary measures to enforce the ban under both the 2016 and 2017 ban orders.
Additionally, the coastal police and fisheries department have been instructed to fully assist the Coast Guard in enforcing the ban and to establish a communication protocol for real-time sharing of vessel location data using the vessel tracking system (VTS).
