18 fishermen taken into custody in Gahirmatha

Stepping up protection drive for turtles' mass nesting, forest personnel have taken into custody 18 sea-going fishermen in a mid-sea interception of unlawful fishing activity along the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary in Odisha.
Three trawlers 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, a forest official said.
The arrested fishermen are natives of Bhadrak and Kendrapara districts, the official said.
The fishing vessels had intruded into prohibited sanctuary corridors contravening the provisions of wildlife protection act, Orissa Marine fishing regulation act and mandatory rules of marine sanctuary, the official said.

They were forwarded to jail custody today under Sections 27 & 29 of the provisions of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1982, said forest officials.
Sea patrolling has been stepped up within the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary water territory in view of the annual mass nesting season of endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles.
The state government had clamped trawler fishing ban along the 20 km stretch Gahirmatha marine sanctuary from November 1 in view of the ensuing mass nesting of endangered Olive Ridley marine turtles.
With latest interception, 96 crews of fishing trawls have so far been put behind the bar for sneaking into prohibited sea territory.