Fisheries department imposes fishing ban, fishermen plan to abstain from voting

KENDRAPARA: As a part of efforts to safeguard fish inventory throughout its essential breeding interval, the Fisheries division has imposed restrictions on fishing by mechanised vessels from April 15 to June 14 throughout the state.

Final month, marine fishermen expressed discontent over the federal government’s failure to handle their grievances, forcing them to announce a boycott of the upcoming Meeting and Lok Sabha polls.

Throughout this two-month “Fishing Vacation” coinciding with the elections, fishermen plan to abstain from voting to attract consideration to their calls for.

To mitigate disturbances attributable to trawl fishing through the breeding season, fishermen are instructed to not enterprise into the ocean through the fishing ban interval beneath Part 4 of the Odisha Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1982, said assistant fisheries officer in Paradip Bijay Kar.

The monsoon trawling ban, launched in 1998, goals to facilitate unhindered fish breeding through the wet season. Roughly 21,000 fishing vessels, together with 2,000 trawlers, are registered within the state. Throughout the ban, mechanised vessels that pose a risk to fish eggs and juveniles are prohibited from sea operations, whereas smaller vessels and non-mechanised boats beneath 8.5 metre with bigger internet gaps are exempt.