Raising the Stakes in Indian Fisheries Management Purse Seine Fishing in Tamil Nadu and Beyond

Purse seine fishing has caused conflicts among fisher groups in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere in India, initially addressed through informal district-level institutions. How courts in India have handled disputes related to marine purse seine fishing since 2018 is examined. Stakeholders have submitted petitions in both the High Court of Madras and the Supreme Court. The factors that triggered these court cases and the positions taken by the various parties, including the Government of Tamil Nadu, are looked into. The narratives that underlie these cases contain a mix of environmental, developmental, and distributional arguments. The upcoming Supreme Court judgment will have major implications for the sustainability of marine fisheries in India.