Fishermen from the 10 coastal mandals of Prakasam district pressed for an attractive compensation package as the authorities announced a closed season for fishing in the Bay of Bengal till May end by non-traditional vessels.
As many as 42 mechanised and 1,400 motorised boats on the coast, which is over 100 km long, were brought to the shore by fishermen complying with the ban on using mechanised boats for fishing till May 31 in the coastal mandals of Ongole, Kothapatnam, Chirala, Vetapalem, Chinnaganjam, Nagulapapadu, Tangutur, Singarayakonda, Ulavapadu, and Gudluru.
“However, over 2,500 traditional boats in the district are allowed to go for fishing as usual,” Fisheries In-charge Additional Director V.V.R.Babu told The Hindu .
Giving a stern warning to any erring fishermen in the 72 coastal villages in the district, Mr. Babu said the State government had come out with a G.O. in keeping with the Centre’s direction to prevent mass fishing during the breading season and help the brood fish to thrive so that fish stock improved.
“We have constituted five special teams to enforce the ban who will maintain a round-the-clock vigil,” he added.
“Now is the time for overhauling the engines and carrying out other repairing and painting works,” said a group of fishermen led by Kothapatnam Palepalem former sarpanch Naidu Prabhu Prakash.
Lump sum demandedThey demanded that the State government provide lump sum cash payment of Rs. 3,000 instead of the 31 kg of sub-standard rice being supplied now.
“Though we are complying with the authorities’ directive, we have not been provided with red gram and edible oil as promised by the State government in the past. The compensation should not only be given to boatmen but also to other sea-faring fishermen, they added.