Live Olive Ridley turtles seized, six arrested in Odisha

Forest personnel on Friday seized live Olive Ridley turtles from a trawler and arrested six fishermen from Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary in Odisha.

The fishing vessel had trespassed into prohibited sanctuary corridors contravening the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1975, the Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1982 and rules of the sanctuary, a forest official said.

The accused have been sent to judicial custody and the turtles released into the sea, he said.

Fishing within the marine sanctuary limits is prohibited round the year but patrolling is stepped up between November and May every year due to annual mass nesting season of the endangered Olive Ridley turtles.

An estimated 6.57 lakh female turtles had last year laid millions of eggs on the nesting beach last year, sources said.