Fisheries Administration and Lagislation

Unit 8 - Coastal regulation zone notification

8.4. Coastal Aquaculture Authority Act, 2005
The Coastal Aquaculture Authority Act, 2005 provides for the establishment of the Coastal Aquaculture Authority for regulating the activities connected with coastal aquaculture in coastal areas and relevant matters. The Act mandates the Central Government to take measures that it deems necessary or expedient to regulate coastal aquaculture by prescribing guidelines. An objective is to ensure that coastal aquaculture does not cause any detriment to the coastal environment. The concept of responsible coastal aquaculture contained in the guidelines is to be followed in regulating coastal aquaculture activities, in order that the livelihood of various sections of people living in the coastal areas is protected. It is also important to understand that the Supreme Court has played a pivotal role in creation of some of these statutory authorities by way of public interest litigation. Coastal Aquaculture Authority is one such authority created at the behest of the Supreme Court. For a detailed analysis of the role of courts see the document titled “Role of Courts in Marine Areas Management with a focus on marine and coastal fisheries”. Important functions of the Coastal Aquaculture Authority are:

• To make regulations for the construction and operation of aquaculture farms within the coastal areas
• To inspect coastal aquaculture farms with a view to ascertaining their environmental impact caused by coastal aquaculture
• To register coastal aquaculture farms
• To order removal or demolition of any coastal aquaculture farms which is causing pollution after hearing the occupier of the farm and
• To enter on any coastal aquaculture land, pond, pen or enclosure and make any inspection, survey, measurement, valuation or inquiry remove or demolish any do such other acts or things as may be prescribed structure therein
• All persons intending to undertake aquaculture in the coastal areas of the country shall be required to register their farm with the Coastal Aquaculture Authority. Such registration shall be valid for a period of five (5) years and may be renewed from time to time. Further, the Authority shall not permit any coastal aquaculture to be carried on within two hundred meters from High Tide Line and no coastal aquaculture shall be carried on in creeks, rivers and backwaters within the Coastal Regulation Zone declared for the time being under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. However, this condition shall not apply to the coastal aquaculture farms, which were in existence on the appointed and to the non-commercial and experimental coastal aquaculture farms to be operated by any research institute of the Government by the Government.