Fishermen get into sea after two months

KENDRAPARA:   A large number of fishermen ventured into the sea on Wednesday after the 60-day fishing ban was lifted.  The ban was imposed from April 15  to June 14 to facilitate increase fish production through natural breeding.

The government imposed the ban to help restore fish stocks in the breeding season for marine life. As many as 21,832 fishing vessels including 1741 trawlers registered with the Department of Fisheries  ventured into the sea on the day,  said deputy  director, Fisheries (coastal)  Basant Das.

The monsoon trawling ban was introduced in 1998 to help unhindered breeding of fish during the season that sees breeding  of nearly 300 species along the coast of Odisha, added the officer. Traders from West Bengal arrived at the harbours and seafood exporters opened offices to purchase fish, said president of OMFPA Srikant Parida.