Stepping up vigil ahead of mass nesting by turtles, forest guards arrested five fishermen mid-sea for unlawful fishing activity along the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, forest officials said today.
Three fishing trawls used by the intruders for fishing along the prohibited breeding zones of the endangered marine animals were seized by the patrolling unit engaged by forest department for conservation of olive ridley sea turtles near unmanned Ekakulanasi yesterday, they said.
They were later remanded to jail custody.
Sea patrolling has been stepped up in the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary water territory in view of the annual mass nesting season of endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles.
The state government has clamped trawl fishing ban along the 20 km stretch of Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary from November one in view of the ensuing mass nesting of endangered Olive Ridley marine turtles.
