Kendrapada: The annual 60-day fishing ban along Odisha’s coastline aimed at protecting marine life during the crucial spawning season, will start from April 15. “All mechanised fishing boats and trawlers must anchor at their respective jetties and fishing harbours by midnight on April 14. Fishermen are strictly prohibited from venturing into the sea during this period,” said Bijay Kar, assistant fisheries officer, Paradip.
The ban affects around 21,000 fishing vessels, including 2,000 trawlers registered with the department of fisheries. The restriction, implemented under the Odisha Marine Fishing Regulation Act of 1982, covers the state’s 484-km coastline. Small mechanised and non-mechanised boats under 8.5 metres are exempt from the ban but must restrict their activities to territorial waters and catch only pelagic fish.
The monsoon witnesses the breeding of nearly 300 marine species, including the popular Hilsa fish. First introduced in 1998, the ban helps prevent the netting of gravid fish and their offspring, allowing fish stocks to replenish. Many Telugu-speaking fishermen from Paradip and surrounding areas typically return to their villages in Andhra Pradesh during this “fishing holiday” period.
The fisheries department has initiated awareness campaigns in fishing villages to ensure compliance. “We will take action against those who violate the ban,” said Kar.