Bhubaneswar: The Marine Fisheries Census has begun today and will continue till December 18. The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) is conducting the census to gather data on the socio-economic status of marine fishermen families in Odisha’s six coastal districts including Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, and Ganjam.
The census will collect data on the fishermen’s traditional occupation, boats, nets, houses, changes in livelihood, basic needs, and family status. The data will help the government understand the fishermen’s socio-economic status and take necessary steps to address their needs.
According to reports, the census is conducted every five years, and the last one was held in 2016. However, the 2021 census was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The data collected will also help assess the impact on marine fish production.
According to the previous census, Odisha’s six coastal districts have 55 fish landing centers, 739 fishing villages, 1,15,228 fishing families, 92,569 fishermen households, and 5,17,623 fishermen.
