NEW DELHI: in a relief to fishing sector, the Centre on Friday exempted marine fishing operations, aquaculture industry, movement of fish/shrimp and fish products and workers for all these activities from the lockdown restrictions.The move will now allow the enlisted fishing activities to be carried out during the lockdown period in all coastal states under a regulated provision of permits/passes, issued by district authorities.In its fifth addendum to its lockdown guidelines, the home ministry put these activities under the exempted categories along with various other related works including operation of processing, packaging, cold chain, sale and marketing, hatcheries, feed plants and commercial aquaria in the marine fishing sector.The move came in the backdrop of demands from the marine sector as lakhs of fishermen had been out of works ever since the lockdown was imposed to fight the spread of Covid-19 on March 24. In fact, thousands of marine fishermen were out in the sea when the lockdown order came.In his order late on Friday night, the Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla , however, asked the states to allow these exemptions while adhering to social distancing and other precautionary measures."As specified in the lockdown measures, social distancing and proper hygiene practices must be ensured in each of the above activities as well as the activities permitted by earlier orders," said Bhalla.He told the chief secretaries of states that it would be the responsibilities of the head of organisations/establishments to ensure compliance of such norms.“The district authorities will ensure strict enforcement,” he said.