Bhubaneswar, November 18:  Forest officials on Tuesday arrested seven fishermen from Andhra Pradesh on the charge of illegally fishing within the turtle congregation zone in Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary in Kendrapara district, officials said.

They were arrested for allegedly fishing in the prohibited area of the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary in Odisha,

These fishermen are from the Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh, local officials said.

The trawl and fishing implements used by them in the prohibited area were also seized, they said.

The local court remanded them to judicial custody under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.