61-day fishing ban on the East Coast from April 15

To facilitate conservation of marine resources and prioritise maritime safety, the Centre has officially announced the annual uniform fishing ban within the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for 2026.

On the East Coast, which includes Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, West Bengal, Puducherry, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, the 61-day moratorium will be effective from the midnight of April 15 to the midnight of June 14, 2026. A corresponding ban for the West Coast is scheduled from June 1 to July 31.

While mechanised and motorised boats are restricted, traditional non-motorised units remain exempt.

According to the previous year’s official data of welfare coverage available from the A.P. State Fisheries Department, out of 1,34,971 beneficiaries identified across the State, 1,29,178 were cleared as eligible and 5,793 ineligible.

Kakinada district accounted for the highest number of identified beneficiaries at 25,752, followed by Srikakulam (16,059), Nellore (13,512), and Krishna (13,325).