The Andhra Pradesh government has banned fishing in the Bay of Bengal across the length of the state's territorial waters for two months to observe conservancy and sustain the breeding season of various prawn and fish species, an official said on Monday.
The annual ban will begin on April 15 and last till June 14, spanning 61 days, requiring all the registered mechanised and motorised fishing vessels to refrain from fishing during this time.
"The main objective of the order is to observe conservancy measures during breeding season of majority prawn and fish species. All the fishermen are requested to observe ban on marine fishing strictly as was done in the previous years," a fisheries department official said in a statement.
He said the measure is aimed at offering better catch to fishermen in the post-ban period as well as sustain fisheries wealth for posterity.
In the event of violation, the fisheries department will seize the culprits' boats, and levy a heavy penalty under the provisions of the AP Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1994, including scrapping subsidised oil supply and other benefits.
To strictly enforce the ban, the department is teaming up with the Coast Guard, coastal security police, Navy and revenue department to patrol the coast of the southern state, which is endowed with India's second largest coastline.