India, Sept. 3 -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday frowned upon the "unwritten ban" imposed by the Tamil Nadu Government on fishermen by not granting access passes for using purse seine nets in the Centre's Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), and said it is necessary for the Union and the state to abide by the principle of cooperative federalism.

Purse seine fishing is a method that uses a vertical net attached to a vessel to encircle schools of fish in open water.

A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe ruled that the rights and liabilities of the parties will now be governed according to the relevant laws, EEZ Rules, 2025 and the Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulation Rules, 2020.

The bench said laws, rules and regulations addressin...