Kendrapara, Dec 8: Odisha forest officials apprehended 34 fishermen and seized two trawlers operating illegally within the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary in Kendrapara district. The fishermen were found fishing in the Olive Ridley turtle congregation zone, a designated protected area where such activities are prohibited under the sanctuary's regulations.
Manas Das, Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) for Bhitarkanika, confirmed that the forest patrol teams caught the intruders over the past 48 hours. "The trawlers were operating inside restricted corridors of the sanctuary, violating the Wildlife Protection Act, the Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act, and other specific sanctuary rules," he said.
The arrested fishermen, who are from Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts, have been placed under judicial custody. This is part of an ongoing effort to protect the endangered Olive Ridley turtles during their critical nesting season.
According to forest officials, approximately 200 fishermen have been arrested so far this year for violating the rules of the Olive Ridley turtle congregation zone. The Odisha government has imposed a seven-month ban on trawler fishing along the 20-kilometer Dhamara-Devi river mouth stretch starting from November 1, coinciding with the turtles' mass nesting period.
Fishing restrictions are enforced year-round in the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, a crucial habitat for the Olive Ridley turtles, one of the world's most endangered species.
Das emphasized that forest patrols will continue to monitor the area closely to ensure the protection of these turtles during this vulnerable period.
