61-day deep sea fishing ban begins April 15 in AP

Visakhapatnam: The annual 61-day ban on deep sea fishing will come into effect on April 15.The government has announced the enforcement of the two-month annual fishing ban along the Andhra Pradesh's coastline from April 15 to June 14, in line with directions issued by the Government of India for conservation and management of marine resources.The ban on fishing by all fishing vessels in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) beyond territorial waters on the East Coast during the summer aimed for conservation, effective management of fishery resources and safety reasons. Traditional non-motorised units were exempted from this uniform fishing ban imposed in the Indian EEZ beyond territorial waters. The state's fishing fleet comprises 50 per cent of mechanized boats, 48 per cent motorized boats, and around two percent of non-motorized boats. Officials said the govt issued orders prohibiting fishing operations by different mechanised fishing vessels and fishing crafts fitted with outboard as well as inboard engine (motorised fishing boats), excluding non-motorised traditional fishing crafts, in the territorial waters along the entire coast of Andhra Pradesh during the ban period. The government warned that violations invited action, including seizure of boats, penalties, and suspension of benefits such as high-speed diesel subsidy and other assistance under the AP Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1994. To enforce the ban, the fisheries department conducted joint patrols with Indian Coast Guard officials.Around 2,500 mechanised fishing vessels operated across various coastal regions of the state, including Vizag, Kakinada, Machilipatnam, Vadarevu, Kalingapatnam and other locations. Even before the commencement of the fishing ban, over 80 per cent of mechanized fishing boats in Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, and a few other coastal districts in the state have been anchored. The fishing season 2025-26 was not very encouraging as the majority of the mechanised boat owners in the region incurred losses due to low catch of some popular varieties of fish and low returns for brown prawn, said president of Visakha Dolphin Boat Operators Welfare Association Ch Veeraju.—