1. Short title, extent and commencement.—(1) This Act may be called the Marine Products Export
Development Authority Act, 1972.
(1) It extends to the whole of India.
(2) It shall come into force on such date1
as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official
Gazette, appoint:
Provided that different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act.
2. Declaration as to expediency of control by the Union.—It is hereby declared that it is expedient in
the public interest that the Union should take under its control the marine products industry.
3. Definitions.—In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
(a) “Authority” means the Marine Products Export Development Authority established under
section 4;
(b) “Chairman” means the Chairman of the Authority;
(c) “conveyance” includes a carrier vessel or a vehicle;
(d) “dealer” means a dealer in any of the marine products;
(e) “Director” means the Director of Marine Products Export Development appointed under
section 7;
(f) “export” and “import” mean respectively taking out of, or bringing into, India by land, sea or
air;
(g) “fishing vessel” means a ship or boat fitted with mechanical means of propulsion which is
exclusively engaged in sea-fishing for profit;
(h) “marine products” includes all varieties of fishery products known commercially as shrimp,
prawn, lobster, crab, fish, shell-fish, other aquatic animals or plants or part thereof and any other
products which the Authority may, by notification in the Gazette of India, declare to be marine
products for the purposes of this Act;
(i) “member” means a member of the Authority;
(j) “owner”, in relation to any fishing vessel or in relation to any processing plant or storage
premises for marine products or in relation to any conveyance used for the transport of marine
products, includes—
(i) any agent of the owner; and
(ii) a mortgagee, lessee or other person in actual possession of the fishing vessel, processing
plant, storage premises or conveyance;
1. 12th July, 1972, vide notification No. G.S.R. 388(E), dated 12th July, 1972, in respect of the provisions of sections other than
sections 11 to 19 (both inclusive), see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3(i).
15th January, 1973, vide notification No. G.S.R. 8(E), dated 10th January, 1973, in respect of the provisions of sections 11 to 19
(both inclusive), see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3(i).
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(k) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(l) “processing”, in relation to marine products, includes the preservation of such products such as
canning, freezing, drying, salting, smoking, peeling or filleting and any other method of processing
which the Authority may, by notification in the Gazette of India, specify in this behalf.