Nearly 80,000 people depend directly or indirectly on fishing industry in Paradip and their business has suffered due to manifold difficulties. Especially,  the fishing ban due to the turtle safety lobby has hit them hard.

Recently, the All Odisha Fish Producers’ Federation (AOFPF) and the Odisha Marine Fish Producers Association (OMFPA) (trawler association), Paradip have appealed both to the Union and State Governments to end their plight. They also threatened to launch a stir, unless their concerns were addressed.

Briefing mediapersons, they alleged that the fishing ban in coasts from November to April each year for turtle conservation has an adverse impact on the fishing community, especially on the trawler operators.

The ban on fishing also hits net makers, dry fish merchants, fish traders, basket makers and ice plants operating in Paradip, they told, lamenting that though they have urged the authorities for relaxation in the fishing ban, but in vain.

“Memoranda have been given several times to the Central Empowerment Committee on Turtle Conservation and the Union Ministry of Forests, Environment and Climate Change, but ironically we have got no response,” told AOFPF president Kameshwar Narayan Praharaj and OMFPA president Sumanta Kumar Biswal.

According to sources, to ensure turtle conservation, the Forests and Environment Department has notified the coast from north of Paradip up to 80 km into the coast as marine sanctuary area and no fishing zone under the Wildlife Act.

On the other hand, the State Fisheries Department too prohibits fishing in and around 20 km radius from the Devi river mouth to Paradip coast from November to April each year. In view of the ban, the fishing industry remains inactive and trawlers stand idle for five months in a year.

The trawler association claimed that it was needless to declare 20 km from the shore as a sanctuary zone. The area should be confined to 10 km and trawlers should be allowed for fishing, suggested association president

Biswal .

Besides, the two associations raised issues like dredging of harbour, harassment and detention of fishers by surveillance officials, improper maritime water zone identification, lack of sops like easy loan facility, subsidies in inputs and compensation during inclement weather when fishing is affected.