Odisha Govt to provide financial compensation to Marine Fishermen

The State Government has decided to start a fiscal incentive scheme to compensate for the loss of livelihood of fishermen due to periodic prohibition on marine fishing. The Sea-going fishermen are adversely affected due to the ban on account of sea turtle protection and marine fisheries resources conservation.

A seven-month ban i.e. from November 1 to June 15 is clamped in Gahirmatha marine sanctuary and a two month ban on marine fishing is enforced every year throughout the 480 KM long sea coast.

Around 2,000 marine fishermen from Kendrapara, Ganjam and Puri districts are affected due to the fishing ban and are to be brought under fiscal incentives from 2016-17 fiscal. The main objective of the scheme is to provide financial assistance to poor marine fishermen, said Basanta Das, Deputy Director of Marine Fisheries.