NUALS | International Seminar On Environment, Trade And Health: Vicissitudes of Marine Fishing & Legal Conundrums [Jan 5-7, 2023]

About the University:

The National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS) was established by Act 27 of 2005 of the Kerala State Legislature. By the same Act, the National Institute for Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) established by the Bar Council of Kerala Trust in 2002 and later merged with the NUALS. The Chief Justice of India subject to his consent is the Visitor and the Chief Justice of Kerala, the Chancellor of NUALS. The NUALS Campus is situated in Kochi, ‘the Queen of Arabian Sea’.

NUALS is one of the National Law Universities (NLU) in India which offers high quality legal education to young legal aspirants. Instead of following classroom learning, NUALS has adopted a more interactive and participatory educational pedagogy, which enables the students to learn the law in both theoretical and practical aspects. To enlighten the young minds, NUALS provides a vast repository of both online and offline resources.

NUALS has been in the limelight for hosting several international and national conferences, training programs, and moot court competitions. To make the study of law relevant to social needs and to encourage focused research, NUALS has established several centres of study and research, one among which is the Centre for Post-Graduate Legal Studies (CPGLS).

About the Centre for Post-Graduate Legal Studies (CPGLS):

The Centre for Post Graduate Legal Studies (CPGLS) is the centre formed in line with the UGC guidelines, to cater to the needs of the LL.M Students of NUALS. The LL.M curriculum at NUALS is an intensive one in which, instead of the traditional lecture classes, the students are to learn primarily through classroom seminars and discussions. The objective of CPGLS is to encourage students to explore and discuss the various aspects of the subject discussed. For furthering the same, CPGLS conducts national and international seminars at regular intervals for post-graduate students. CPGLS also arranges extension and adjunct lectures by eminent persons enabling the students to interact with them.

Concept Note for the International Seminar:

2022 has been declared as the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture by United Nations General Assembly. According to United Nations Environment Programme, ‘aquaculture’ means the cultivation and harvest of freshwater or marine animals and plants, in ponds, tanks, cages or on protected beds. It employs the use of artificial means to increase the production of aquatic organisms in fresh or salt water. Whereas, artisanal fisheries are traditional fisheries involving fishing households (as opposed to commercial companies), using relatively small amount of capital and energy, relatively small fishing vessels (if any), making short fishing trips, close to shore, mainly for local consumption. IUU Fishing, on the other hand refers to Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing that could possibly be associated with organized crimes.

The oceans which are the largest ecosystem on the planet, hosting thousands of flora and fauna species, are also used by human beings for voyage, food, energy and resources, and even adventure and knowledge. Today, the rich and thriving oceans are dying, not only because of marine pollution, but also because of aquaculture and IUU fishing. Various studies reveal that the current over-fishing trends which result in the exploitation and depletion of fisheries, reveal that oceans will become empty by 2050. This exploitative trend is accelerated by government subsidies for fishing and fuel, non-publication of relevant data and lack of a strict regulatory framework.

Commercial fishing causing environmental pollution and creating an imbalance in the aquatic ecosystem, artificial eutrophication, ingestion of micro-plastics by marine life, the resulting impact on human beings who consume marine food, abuse of human rights of people working in the fishing industry (in the form of human trafficking, forced labour, slavery, insufficient food and water, filthy living conditions, physical and sexual assaults, and manslaughters), discarding the additional catch, abandoning ghost nets, use of trawlers, power politics between developed and developing nations, are a few of the many concerns associated with the IUU Fishing and Aquaculture Industry. Thus, it is high time the legal fraternity questions if aquaculture and IUU Fishing are a boon or a bane, especially in the touchstone of the legal framework – national and international.

About the International Seminar:

For furthering the idea mentioned in the Concept note above, the CPGLS would be organizing the “International Seminar On Environment, Trade And Health: Vicissitudes Of Marine Fishing & Legal Conundrums”. The Seminar aims at exploring the concerns associated with the central theme in the light of disciplines like Environmental Law, Constitutional Law, International Trade Law and Public Health Law.

The Seminar would inter alia explore topics identified as sub-themes below:

• Commercial fishing and existing international law framework
• WTO and Fish-Trade
• International Legal Regulation of the Fishing Industry
• Aquaculture and its trading possibilities
• Health issues relating to commercial fishing
• IUU fishing and threats due to use of fish as medicine
• Health issues involved in Aquaculture
• Commercial fishing vs. Right to healthy environment
• Constitutional rights of Fishermen
• Scope of aquaculture under Constitutional provision
• Dimensions of Indian Constitution in regulating IUU fishing.

• The compatibility of Indian laws in international legal regime regarding fishing

NB: The given sub-themes are only indicative and not exhaustive. Papers submissions are not limited to the broad sub themes mentioned above.

Call for Papers for presentation:

The CPGLS is pleased to invite original, unpublished manuscripts from legal practitioners, academicians, researchers and students in the form of short quality research papers /articles (approximately ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 words) along with an abstract of 300 words. Please note that these word limits are exclusive of footnotes. The abstract has to be attached with the full paper.

Submission Guidelines:

1. Abstract: Submission must be accompanied by an abstract of not more than 300 words. No paper will be accepted without an abstract. Five key-words should also be identified after the abstract.
2. Text of the paper: The text of the manuscript must be formatted as follows:
   • Font: Times New Roman;
   • Size: 12;
   • Spacing: 1.5
3. Footnotes: The footnotes must be formatted as:
   • Font: Times New Roman;
   • Size: 10;
   • Spacing: 1

   Please note that the use of speaking footnotes and end-notes is discouraged.

4. Citation: Submissions must conform to the guidelines provided under the 20th edition of the Bluebook system of citation.
5. Co-authorship: Co-authorship is allowed only up to a maximum of 2 authors ( Each author has to register individually)
6. Submission: Author/s are required to submit the manuscripts in Microsoft word document (.doc / .docx) only. The paper should be sent to ___________________ within the timeline mentioned below. The subject of the email should be: “Paper Submission: (followed by the title of the paper)”.
7. Plagiarism, Originality, and Confidentiality:

   – It is the responsibility of the Authors to ensure that the electronic copies of submissions are free from the author(s) name, affiliation, name of the institution, postal address, and author’s contact details such as e-mail and contact number of the author designated to receive correspondence.

   – The manuscript must be the original work of the author and free from plagiarism. All submissions will be subject to a plagiarism check.

   – The manuscript submitted to the journal must not be previously published or currently under review at any other journal/conference/book and should not be submitted to any other journal/conference/book while under review with us.

   – In case of any copyright violations, the organizers will not be responsible and it is the sole responsibility of the author/authors for any kind of IP infringement.

8. Finality of Decisions: The final decision as to acceptance and publication of the manuscript rests with the Editorial board.
9. Publication: Selected papers will be published in a book with ISBN NO.

10. Mail ID:

Timeline for submission:

NB: No accommodation shall be provided by the University.

Registration Fees:

The fees is required to be paid online only after the confirmation of acceptance is given, but before the seminar. The seminar fee including the registration amount, conference lunch, tea and the conference kit are as follows:

For Paper Presenters: To be paid after the confirmation of acceptance of full paper

– For legal practitioners, academicians, Industry Participants/Practitioners: INR 3000/-

– For Students and Ph.D. Scholars: INR 1500/-

For simple participation: INR 1,000/- to be paid before 31st December 2022

Payment Gateway will be provided later.

Those who want to present online may contact the organising committee.

Venue for the International Seminar:

The National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS)

NUALS Campus, H.M.T. Colony P.O.

Kalamassery, Ernakulam, PIN – 683 503.

Seminar Patron:

Prof. (Dr) K.C. Sunny, Honorable Vice Chancellor, NUALS, Kochi

Seminar Faculty-in-charge:

Seminar Student Co-ordinators