The fishing ban in the Bay of Bengal is going to be lifted after four days. Hence, after a gap of six and a half months, the marine fishermen of the district are all set to venture into the sea from June 14.

According to sources, the Marine Fishery Department will lift the ban on fishing 20 km off the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.

Assistant Director Fisheries (Marine) Department,

Kujanga Manas Ranjan Sahu said his department has issued  registration certificate and licence for mechanized boat or trawler, besides identity card(biometric identity card) for fishers.

The renewal of licence and registration of boats has started since April 1 and it would continue till June 30. Later, the owner of the motorised and mechanised boats would renew their documents by giving fine till September 28.

After September 28 , if the department would find boats having invalid documents, then penalty will be imposed, informed Assistant Director Sahu.

The Marine Fishery Department has also asked the trawler  and motorised boat owners and the fishermen to paint their sea worthy boats  complete red and the boot level in black colour as per  the colour code approved by the department.

 It has also been asked to display the registered name and number of the trawler in yellow and black colour.

Around 35,319 biometric identity cards have already been distributed to the fishermen in Jagatsinghpur district whereas nearly 39,078 biometric identity  cards  were distributed to the fishermen of Kendrapada district, said official sources.

It has already been asked to the marine fishermen, who possessed Distress Alert Transmitters (DATs) to take with them the DATs

while they will venture into the sea.

The fishermen also have been asked to keep a close eye on suspicious vessels and the activities of crew members.

Notably, the ban had been imposed on fishing from November 1  to    May 31 to protect the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles.