BHUBANESWAR: With the two-month-long ban on fishing activities in the sea along the Odisha coast coming into force from April 15, representatives of the Odisha marine fish producers association on Monday urged the state government to allow traditional fishermen to fish in territorial waters using small boats.
Attending a meeting convened by Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain here, representatives of various fishermen associations of the state also urged the government to pay compensation to fishermen who eke out their living through fishing activities.
While assuring to take up the matter with the government, the minister said the decision to impose restrictions from April 15 to June 14 on all mechanised boats and trawlers is a decision of the Central government to conserve fish stock during the breeding season.
However, traditional fishermen using small boats were exempted from the ban and allowed to fish in territorial waters. The fishermen's associations also requested the minister to take necessary measures to stop fishing by fishermen of neighbouring states during this ban period. The minister said necessary instructions have been issued to all coastal police stations of the state.
The minister further directed the department to take the issue of releasing industrial effluents into the seas by industries with departments concerned to save the marine fish population.