Fisheries Administration and Lagislation

Unit 7 - Laws relating inland fisheries

7.2. Aspects of laws on inland fisheries and aquaculture
Indian Fisheries Act, 1897 is not only applicable to marine fisheries but also applicable to inland sector. But later in 1986 separate Marine fisheries regulation Act came for marine sector whereas inland sector still dependent on 1897 Central Act (Indian Fisheries Act).

• Open access water bodies
• Culture based fisheries
• Aquaculture

Open access water bodies: comprises of open tanks, rivers and reservoir which is an open access resource but now these water bodies are also leased for a fixed duration as per the provision in Mysore games & fish preservation Rules, 1901. According to this Act the water body of:

• Size less than 20 ha controlled by FFDA
• Size less than 100 ha controlled by Gram Panchayat
• Size of 100-300 ha controlled by Zila Panchayat
• Size of more than 300 hectares controlled by state fisheries department

Note: when open access water bodies are converted in to culture based fisheries the migratory fishers groups are left apart.

Culture based capture fisheries: once it was realized that natural fishes are not enough to meet the requirements ,the concept of culture based capture fisheries came in it picture. In this concept stocking is done in natural water bodies and later harvested. For this government need some input cost (sluice gates etc). So they start leasing water body.
Cost incurred in culture based fishery:

• leasing amount
• stocking of fish seeds
• Removal of weeds
• Bund repair
• Sluice gates- construction & repair
• harvesting
• Marketing

Note: these water bodies are leased on priority basis. First priority is given to fishery co-operative society followed by fishery graduate.
Aquaculture: Includes private ponds. Aquaculture was not included in agriculture under land reforms Act till 1995(amendment). Water quality is maintained as per water act and Environment protection act. If there any clash between water act and environment act then water act prevails. Still there is no separate act for aquaculture.
Leasing: transfer of use right by the owner (lesser) to the lessee for a specified duration on the payment of specified amount which is determined by auction/negotiation/laws.