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Abstract
Recreational fishing also called sport fishing, is fishing for delight. It does vary with commercial fishing, which is done by exploiting marine fish and fishery resources. The concept of game fishing is to catch large marine water fishes by adopting responsible fishing, with catch, holds fish for photographs and release of fish back to sea in live condition without causing damage and exploiting marine environment.
Sport fishing is an established activity in developed countries across the world. In India there is need to support this activity. In Andaman Islands, for its sustainable development with protection of marine environment adopted provisions under Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, Merchant Shipping Act for registration and made Andaman & Nicobar Islands Marine Fishing (Amendment) Rules, 2017 to regulate recreational fishing. It is categories into two group first fresh water/ land based and second is marine big recreational fishing. In Andaman Islands, mainly angling and big-game marine fishing is conducted by using sophisticated fiber boats, modern fishing equipment’s and techniques to catch large marine water fishes by adopting responsible fishing. These islands have 58 registered sport fishing boat, every kind of fishing activity in A&N Islands is regulated under the provisions of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Marine Fishing Regulation- 2003 and the Rules 2004. To regulate sport fishing activities, the Department of Fisheries had published guidelines for sport fishing in A&N Islands and notified Sport Fishing Rules in A&N Islands Marine Fishing (Amendment) Rules, 2017. Under the Amended Rules 2017 for sport fishing activity notified 22 selected sailing routes having operation beyond 3 Nautical Miles from nearest Port / Jetty of Zone-A and in Zone-B, maintain 10 knot speed of vessel in coral reef area in Andaman sea prohibited in catching or collection of all animals covered under Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (Act 53 of 1972), catching or collection of all marine ornamental fishes, catching or collection of all marine fishes in notified National Parks, Wild Life Sanctuaries and tribal reserved area in the Territorial water of Andaman and Nicobar Islands for protection of marine environment. In existence of provisions under Wild Life (Protection) Act, Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Act, Sport Fishing Rules in A&N Islands Marine Fishing (Amendment) Rules, 2017 makes various provision by imposing penalty for the unregulated / illegal activities by the vessel engaged in sport fishing. The sustainable development of sport fishing, protection and conservation of marine resources and environment by Andaman & Nicobar Islands Marine Fishing Rules 2017 are emphasized in the present study.