A High Court Judge in the chair and four seats for the coastal States: the aquaculture regulator

Background

The Coastal Aquaculture Authority Act, 2005 creates a regulator for coastal farming, and the text now in force carries the 2023 amendment. Section 4 establishes an Authority called the Coastal Aquaculture Authority from a date the Central Government notifies, with its head office at such place as the Central Government may decide. The Central Government appoints every member, and the Chairperson is a sitting or former Judge of a High Court. Then come one expert in coastal aquaculture; one expert in coastal ecology nominated by the Department of Ocean Development; one expert in environment protection or pollution control nominated by the environment ministry; one member each for the agriculture and commerce ministries; four members to represent the coastal States on a rotation basis; and a member-secretary. The term of the Chairperson and of every other member is three years. Section 5 has five disqualifications: conviction with a sentence of imprisonment for an offence the Central Government considers to involve moral turpitude, undischarged insolvency, unsoundness of mind so declared by a competent court, removal or dismissal from government service, and a financial or other interest in the Authority that would prejudice the work of a member. The amended Act also defines aqua mapping and aqua zonation for coastal planning.