<p>The Centre has exempted people involved in marine fishing and aquaculture from the 21-day nationwide lockdown to arrest the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak.</p>.<p>Late on Friday night, the Centre issued the fifth set of amendments in the consolidated guidelines to exempt the marine fisheries and aquaculture sector that contributed Rs 1.75 lakh crore to the Gross Domestic Product in 2017-18.</p>.<p>“Operation of the fishing (marine) and aquaculture industry, including feeding and maintenance, harvesting, processing, packaging, cold storage chain, sales and marketing, hatcheries, feed plants, commercial aquaria, movement of fish, shrimp and fish products, and workers for all these activities, are exempt from the lockdown restrictions,” a Home Ministry statement said.</p>.<p>It also reiterated that as specified in the lockdown measures, social distancing and proper hygiene practice must be ensured in each of the said activities as well as other activities permitted in previous orders.</p>.<p>“It would be the responsibility of the head of the organisation or establishment to ensure compliance of such norms and the district administration will ensure strict enforcement,” the Home Ministry said.</p>.<p>The order has been communicated to all other central ministries, departments, states and UTs for implementation.</p>.<p>The fisheries sector accounts for about 6.58 per cent share of agricultural GDP of the country. According to government estimates, the sector provides livelihoods to about 16 million fisherfolk and fish farmers at the primary level and almost twice the number along the value chain.</p>
<p>The Centre has exempted people involved in marine fishing and aquaculture from the 21-day nationwide lockdown to arrest the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak.</p>.<p>Late on Friday night, the Centre issued the fifth set of amendments in the consolidated guidelines to exempt the marine fisheries and aquaculture sector that contributed Rs 1.75 lakh crore to the Gross Domestic Product in 2017-18.</p>.<p>“Operation of the fishing (marine) and aquaculture industry, including feeding and maintenance, harvesting, processing, packaging, cold storage chain, sales and marketing, hatcheries, feed plants, commercial aquaria, movement of fish, shrimp and fish products, and workers for all these activities, are exempt from the lockdown restrictions,” a Home Ministry statement said.</p>.<p>It also reiterated that as specified in the lockdown measures, social distancing and proper hygiene practice must be ensured in each of the said activities as well as other activities permitted in previous orders.</p>.<p>“It would be the responsibility of the head of the organisation or establishment to ensure compliance of such norms and the district administration will ensure strict enforcement,” the Home Ministry said.</p>.<p>The order has been communicated to all other central ministries, departments, states and UTs for implementation.</p>.<p>The fisheries sector accounts for about 6.58 per cent share of agricultural GDP of the country. According to government estimates, the sector provides livelihoods to about 16 million fisherfolk and fish farmers at the primary level and almost twice the number along the value chain.</p>
