The matter pertains to the use of purse seine fishing nets by a section of the local fishermen. There is no dispute that by an order of February 5, 2019, the challenge to G.O.Ms.No.40 issued by the Animal Husbandry and Fisheries (FS.V) Department, dated March 25, 2000 was rejected. By such notification, inter alia, fishing by pair trawling or fishing with purse seine nets by any fishing vessel etc. was prohibited as a measure to conserve areas of fishery in the entire coastal region of the State and the territorial waters. The petitioner refers to a previous order of this Court of March 12, 2015 by which a Single Bench noticed that an expert committee had dwelt on the matter and it is the report of such expert committee which culminated in G.O.Ms.No.40 being issued and purse seine nets being completely prohibited. However, a portion of the findings of the expert committee was extracted in the order of March 12, 2015 which reveals that a huge number of persons were dependent on purse seine fishing and a complete ban on purse seine fishing "would be equal to sinking the entire investment made by the enterprising fishermen". In effect, what such committee intended to convey was that the existing purse seine nets may be permitted to be used for fishing, but no additional nets of such kind should be permitted in future.
