Kendrapada: The fisheries department has decided to provide Rs 1,500 as monthly compensation to 12,000 marine fishermen for three months during the 61-day-long “fishing ban” from April 15 to June 14. The ban was imposed by govt to conserve the fish stock during the breeding period.Fishermen have been instructed not to venture into the sea to avoid disturbances caused by the mechanized fishing vessels to marine organisms. “The monetary support is being provided under the government’s ‘Livelihood Support to Marine Fishermen During Fishing Ban Periods’ scheme. The assistance is aimed to strengthen livelihood support to fishermen,” said joint director, fisheries department (Marine), Rabi Narayan Patnaik, on Monday.Under this scheme, marine fishermen in the age group of 18 and 60 years receive Rs 1,500 monthly for three months during the fishing ban period for which a fisherman contributes Rs 1500 by way of depositing his contribution over a period of nine months, added the fisheries officer.The state has around 1.5 lakh marine fishermen but only12,000 deposited Rs 1500 with nine installments under saving-cum-relief scheme for which they are only entitled to get a total amount of Rs 4,500 in three installments from April to June during the fishing ban period, he said.Around 6,000 mechanised fishing vessels, including 1,726 trawlers registered with the department of fisheries are now moored in the fishing harbours and jetties throughout the state from April 15, added the officer.However, leaders of fishermen said the authorities have planned to provide compensation to only 12,000 fishermen though around 1.5 lakh marine fishermen are now out of their jobs and also the compensation is insufficient.President of Odisha Mashyajibi Forum Narayan Haldar said “The government of Andhra Pradesh is giving financial assistance of Rs 20,000 a month to each traditional fisherman during the two month long ban. But the Odisha government is giving only Rs 4,500. This amount is not enough. We request the government to give more financial assistance to all marine fishermen”.
