In response to the looming threat of incessant and heavy rainfall across the state, the Odisha Directorate of Fisheries has initiated comprehensive precautionary measures to ensure the safety of coastal communities.
The Directorate has issued a strict advisory prohibiting fishermen from venturing into the sea until September 25. Those currently at sea have been urgently directed to return to the coast immediately. To ensure widespread awareness, announcements are being broadcast via loudspeakers across coastal fishing communities. Authorities have also instructed that all fishing boats and trawlers be securely anchored at the nearest fish landing centers or fishing harbors.
District and Marine Fishery Officers are actively coordinating with local boat owner associations, trawler owner associations, and marine fishermen cooperative societies to brief them on the impending weather conditions.
To monitor the situation, 24×7 control rooms have been activated across all district offices, with a mandate to send regular situation reports to the Fisheries Directorate headquarters in Cuttack. The government has canceled all leaves for departmental officers and staff, mandating that they remain at their respective headquarters. Meanwhile, ‘Sagarmitras’ and Assistant Fishery Officers have been deployed across various ports to lead on-ground awareness campaigns, underscoring the Fisheries and Animal Resources Development (ARD) Department’s prioritization of fishermen’s safety.
