5
POPSBrazilian Federal Court Rules Unanimously in Sea Shepherd’s Favor in Historic Decision The limit for drag-net fishing is 3.5 miles off the coast of Rio Grande do Sul, Resolution nº 26, SUDEPE. The intention of the standard is to protect the extreme fragility and importance of the coastline. The Rio Grande do Sul shores are a nursery and migratory route of hundreds of sea animals, constituting complex and delicate ecosystems. All compensation awarded in court as a result of Sea Shepherd’s lawsuits must be deposited into the State Environmental Fund coffers and used according to article 13, Law 7.347/85; mainly by federal regulators for purposes of environmental preservation and education related to fishing along the southern state’s coast.