While the Fisheries department has started receiving applications from fisherfolk for obtaining relief during the 61-day ban on fishing, there are suggestions from the community that the period must be utilised for training programmes in value-addition of marine resources. The monthly relief of Rs. 5,000 per family card holder cushions the economic impact of the ban only to a limited extent. Only a small section of fisherfolk is engaged in repairing nets, undertaking repainting and maintenance of mechanised boats. Hence, the department must come up with training programmes on processing technologies for fisherfolk for value-addition, Mathialagan, president of Nagapattinam unit of Deep Sea Fishermen Welfare Association said. Likewise, representatives of other fisherfolk welfare associations hold the view that the Fisheries department must come up with training programmes to equip them with the expertise for value-addition as well as enhance their awareness on sustainable fishing. The Fisheries department has been conducting training programmes for capacity development of fisherfolk at periodic intervals. But, as such, training with stipend during the fishing ban period will be an effective approach for strengthening sustainability of fishing in the long run, Kannan, a functionary of Vedaranyam Kadal Meenavar Kootaravu Sangam, said. Citing the emphasis on sustainable fishing in the National Policy on Marine Fisheries, 2017 (NPMF, 2017) Mr. Mathialagan acknowledged that the fisherfolk need to be sensitised to the fact that over-exploitation of marine resources would lead to loss of biodiversity. The NPMF 2017 advocates capacity building of local fishers and entrepreneurs to take up mariculture and development of local markets and value chains.