Exclusive Fishery Zone (Regulation of Fishing) Act, 1975

This 1975 Act regulates fishing inside Pakistan's Exclusive Economic Zone (referred to here as the Zone, as later tied to the Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones Act, 1976). Section 3 is the central rule: no one may fish or operate a fishing craft in the Zone without a licence from the licencing authority, and only in line with that licence's conditions.

Section 4 requires fishing craft to follow normal navigation laws and keep nets and gear clear of shipping channels. Section 5 bans using dynamite, explosives, poison, lime or other noxious material to catch or kill fish. Section 6 lets the Federal Government declare closed seasons or prohibited areas for some or all types of fish.

Fishery Officers can search fishing craft or landing grounds (section 7) and, if they believe fish were caught illegally, arrest the owner or person in charge without a warrant and seize the catch (section 8); seized fish likely to spoil can be sold immediately, with the proceeds held as the seized property. Section 9, as amended, sets the penalty for violating the Act or its rules at rigorous imprisonment up to five years, a fine up to ten million rupees, or both, plus possible forfeiture of the catch, craft and gear; company directors and managers can be personally liable unless they show due diligence. Section 10 separately punishes making a false statement to a police officer or Fishery Officer with up to one month's imprisonment or a fine up to five thousand rupees.

Section 11 puts the burden of proving lawful authority or a licence on the accused, and section 12 makes an owner or person in charge liable if their craft was used to carry illegally-caught fish. Section 13 protects officials acting in good faith, and section 16 lets the Federal Government make detailed rules on net sizes, licence terms, registration, fees and landing procedures. The extract shows this Act has been amended more than once (1983, 1993), so current fine amounts and procedures should be checked against the latest official text.