Kendrapada: Starting Tuesday, the annual 60-day fishing ban along Odisha’s coastline will kick in.
The ban, meant to protect marine life during the crucial spawning season, necessitates all mechanised fishing boats and trawlers to anchor at their respective jetties and fishing harbours by April 14 midnight.
Paradip’s assistant fisheries officer Bijay Kar reminded fishermen they are strictly prohibited from venturing into the sea during this period two-month period, till June 15.
The Fisheries department has conducted awareness campaigns in fishing villages over the past few weeks. Kar warned that action will be taken against those who violate the ban.
The ban, implemented under the Odisha Marine Fishing Regulation Act of 1982, will affect around 21,000 fishing vessels, including 2,000 trawlers registered with department of Fisheries.
To compensate around 15,000 affected marine fishermen of Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts, the Fisheries department will provide a compensation of Rs 15,000 each.
Exempted from the ban are small mechanised and non-mechanised boats, under 8.5 metres. But the activities of those boats must be restricted to territorial waters and they can only catch pelagic fish.
