KENDRAPARA: The Fisheries department has decided to provide a monthly compensation of Rs 1,500 each to 12,000 fishermen during the 61-day-long ‘fishing ban’ in the sea from April 15 to June 14.
Joint director of Fisheries department (Marine) Rabi Narayan Patnaik on Monday said the compensation would be provided under the state government’s ‘livelihood support to marine fishermen during fishing ban period’ scheme.
“The scheme is intended to provide financial assistance to poor fishermen adversely affected due to the ban on account of marine fisheries resources conservation. Such assistance is aimed to strengthen the livelihood support of fishermen,” said Patnaik.
Under the scheme, fishermen in the age group of 18-60 years would receive Rs 1,500 monthly assistance for three months. Only those fishermen who contributed Rs 1,500 over a period of nine months under the Saving-cum-Relief scheme would receive the assistance.
Patnaik said the state has around 1.5 lakh marine fishermen but only 12,000 deposited their contribution under the Saving-cum-Relief scheme. Hence, only these fishermen are entitled to get a total amount Rs 4,500 in three installments from April to June.
He said in a bid to conserve fish stock at sea during the breeding season, the state government has imposed restrictions on fishing by mechanised vessels. To avoid disturbances caused by trawl fishing, fishermen have been instructed not to venture into the sea during the ban period.
Patnaik informed that around 6,000 mechanised vessels including 1,726 trawlers registered with the Fisheries department are now moored at fishing harbours and jetties across the state due to the ban. However, small mechanised and non-mechanised boats less than 8.5-metre-long are exempted from the ban. Traditional fishermen have also been exempted from the fishing ban. However, they are permitted to carry out fishing in territorial waters and catch only pelagic fish.