Visakhapatnam: Fishing to resume from midnight as two-month ban ends

Minister takes stock of preparations made at the harbour

The hum of boat engines filled the air at the Jalaripeta harbour as fishermen prepared to hit the seas from Wednesday midnight, at which time the two-month annual ban on fishing for mechanised boats comes to an end.

Fisheries Minister Seediri Appalaraju, chairing a meeting with Collector A. Mallikarjuna at the Collectorate to discuss issues pertaining to fisherfolk, took stock of the preparations made for the resumption of fishing activity at the harbour.

Mr. Appalaraju said that proper drinking water facility should be arranged at the fishing harbour and its surroundings. To ensure law and order, police patrolling should be done. CCTV cameras should be installed at the jetties, he said. The Minister also enquired about the proposals for the development programme of the harbour.

The Minister instructed fisheries officials to recruit people to fill the five Sagar Mithra posts immediately. The Sagar Mitras will work in three shifts per day and be available round-the-clock. They should note down the details of the fishermen and the boats before they venture into the sea, the Minister said. Officials should issue identity cards to fishermen within 10 days, he said.

Mr. Appalaraju asked Port officials to allot place to the fisherfolk where they can repair their boats. He said the new fish market is ready and will be made available soon. The Minister also assured the fisherfolk that he would discuss their long-pending issues with Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and try to come up with a solution at the earliest.

Mr. Mallikarjuna instructed officials to clear the waste inside the fishing harbour at regular intervals. He said fishermen’s associations and boat operator associations should identify restricted places off the coast and accordingly plan their fishing trips.

Joint Collector K.S. Swaminathan, Fishing Department Joint Director Lakshman Rao, and Visakhapatnam Port Trust officials were present.