Baliapal: The mouths of rivers Subarnarekha, Hanskara and Bahabalpur under this block in Balasore district have mostly been grabbed by the prawn mafia, but the district administration and fisheries department have not taken any action against them, a report said.
The livelihood of thousands of fishermen living along the riparian villages has been affected as catches of fish, prawns, crabs and other marine creatures have been declining due to this illegal practice by the prawn mafia.
Apprehending that their future is hurtling towards an uncertainty, the fishermen demanded that the administration should do something to protect their traditional occupation.
Seawater enters through river mouths of Subarnarekha, Hanskara and Bahabalpur along with huge quantities of fish, prawn and crabs.
Fishermen said prawns, crabs and fish usually enter river systems when they are rich with spawns. After leaving their spawns in rivers, they return to the sea. But as the river mouths get blocked with nets, they fail to return to sea and most of them die or get caught. This process takes a heavy toll on fish population, they added.
Fishermen said as soon as rainy season arrives, millions of fish lay spawns at the river mouths. At this time, the prawn mafia catches the fish and spawns.
The mafia blocks the river mouths with an enclosure of fishing nets and even draws up mosquito nets to catch tiny spawns of prawn, fish and crabs on a daily basis.
Sadly, millions of spawns perish in this process, the fishermen lamented.
Fishermen said blocking river mouths is an illegal act, but the administration does not take action to remove them. PNN