Fishermen held in Gahirmatha marine sanctuary

In a crackdown on illegal fishing in Gahirmatha marine sanctuary in Kendrapara district, the forest personnel have taken into custody 10 fishermen for violating the ban on such activity in the area.
Two motorised boats used by the intruders for fishing along the prohibited sanctuary area were seized by the patrolling unit of the Forest department near unmanned Babuballi Island, officials said.
Prohibition on sea fishing remains enforced round the year within the marine sanctuary limits.
However, sea patrolling is stepped up within the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary water territory during November-May every year in view of the annual mass nesting season of endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles.

The arrested fishermen are natives of fishing village of Kendrapara district, said officials.
The fishing vessel had trespassed into prohibited sanctuary corridors contravening the provisions of wildlife protection act, Orissa Marine fishing regulation act and mandatory rules of marine sanctuary.

The crews of fishing vessels and marine fishermen communities have been warned not to venture into marine sanctuary area even though the turtle nesting season is over. It's unlawful to fish in the marine sanctuary throughout the year.
The fishermen have been sensitised on the restrictions imposed on human activities in the marine sanctuary, said Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division, Bimal Prasanna Acharya.

Over six lakh turtles had arrived at the Nasi-2 nesting ground from February 22 to March 3, 2017 to lay eggs on the sandy beach. This was the third highest figure of mass-nesting otherwise described as 'arribada' (a Spanish term used for en mass laying eggs by turtle species) to have taken place in idyllic Gahirmatha Island.