20 arrested for illegal fishing in Gahirmatha marine sanctuary

Stepping up their drive to protect turtles' mass nesting, the forest personnel today took into custody 20 fishermen in a mid-sea interception for unlawful fishing along Gahirmatha marine sanctuary in Odisha's Kendrapara district.
The trawls used by intruders for fishing along the prohibited breeding zones of the endangered marine animals were seized by the patrolling unit engaged by the forest department for conservation of olive ridley sea turtles, forest officials said.
The arrested fishermen were native of Kharinasi village, a fishing hub in the district, they said adding, the vessels had trespassed into prohibited sanctuary corridors.
They were later forwarded to jail custody under provisions of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1982, said forest officials.

Sea patrolling has been stepped up within Gahirmatha marine sanctuary water territory in view of the annual mass nesting season of endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles.
It may be noted that Odisha government has clamped a ban on trawl fishing along the 20 km stretch of Gahirmatha marine sanctuary from November 1 in view of the ensuing mass nesting of endangered Olive Ridley marine turtles. The imposition of prohibitory order was in accordance with sections 2,3,4 of the Orissa Maine Fishing Regulation Act (OMFRA), sources said.

Rise in mortality rate of mating turtles along the coastal water surface led to the clamping of prohibitory orders as the gill nets lead to deaths for breeding turtles.

The species, accorded as schedule-1 animal under the wildlife protection act for its highly threatened status, get entangled in the nets for prolonged period and die of asphyxiation.
The turtles also perish in large numbers after getting hit by the fast moving propeller of the fishing trawlers, forest officials added.