Odisha Govt Disburses Rs 22.45 Cr to Fishermen Hit by Fishing Ban for Olive Ridley Conservation

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government distributed Rs 22.54 crore in financial assistance among marine fishermen of six coastal districts on Thursday, to compensate their loss of income due to the ban on marine fishing for the Olive Ridley sea turtle conservation programme.

State Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment and Fisheries & Animal Resource Development Ranendra Prasad Swain disbursed the amount to fishermen families under “Livelihood support to Marine fishermen during Fishing ban period for Olive Ridley Turtle Conservation” scheme for strengthening their livelihood during ban period imposed for Olive Ridley turtle conservation.

A total of 15037 fishermen families benefited under the state government’s scheme.

Odisha boasts of having major mass nesting sites of Olive ridley turtles at Gahirmatha, Rushikula river mouth and Devi river mouth. To protect their spawning process, fishing restrictions are imposed from 1 November to 31 May every year near the Rushikulya river mouth of Ganjam district, Dhamara river mouth of Bhadrak district, Devi river mouth of Puri and Jagatsinghpur district and throughout the year in the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary of Kendrapara district.

The government introduced the State Plan Scheme “Livelihood Support to Marine Fishermen during Fishing Ban Period” since 2016-17 fiscal.

The amount was increased to Rs 7500 in 2017-18. The amount was again enhanced to Rs. 15,000 in 2023.