Guwahati: Fishermen and women in Assam will not be allowed to fish till July 15. Business North East spoke to officials of the Fishery Department who informed that this restriction is imposed every year on account of the fish breeding season.

The official specified that catching brood fish (fish carrying eggs and sperm) of commonly consumed kinds including rohu, catla, mrigal, mali, chital, kharia, pithia, gharia, kharia, kuri, and bhangon, are prohibited during this season.

"Production is stopped during this period", the official informed Business North East. "However, an incentive of Rs. 3000 is given to the fisherman during this lean season. This incentive is disbursed under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana", he said, adding that the instructions are issued as per the Assam Fishery Rule, 1953, that was amended in 2005.

"The initiative has been quite impactful as the fishing community itself is coming forward to take part in the initiative", said the official. "Many village personnel are now associated and even local police is closely linked to it."

Business North East spoke to Niren Das, a fisherman from Rajabari, near Panikhaiti panchayat in Kamrup district. He said, "We have been asked to stop fishing and it has impacted our lives. Now, we are forced to go for wage-based activities for livelihood." Das, along with other fishermen in his village, did receive Rs 3000 but it is not sufficient to run their families. "Previously, we earned an average of Rs 500-1000 per day."

Baloram Hazarika, secretary of the Fisherman Society from Chandrapur, some 15km from Guwahati, further informed that the fishery is now full of water hyacinth. He said that many fishermen have not received the incentive. “If 100 percent have applied for the incentive, only 25 percent have got it”, he said, although Business North East has not independently verified the claim. 

The Fishery Department says that fishermen also avail of other welfare schemes like housing, supply of nets and boats, fish culture, etc.

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