17 Marine Fishermen Held for Illegal Fishing in Odisha’s Gahirmatha Sanctuary

Bhubaneswar, Dec 27 : Forest officials arrested 17 marine fishermen and seized their sea-worthy fishing trawlers for illegally fishing inside the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary in Odisha’s Kendrapara district, an official said on Saturday.

The fishermen were intercepted while operating trawl nets within the prohibited turtle congregation zone of the sanctuary. Forest patrol teams seized the fishing vessels along with fishing implements used during the illegal activity.

According to forest officials, the trawlers had trespassed into restricted sanctuary corridors in violation of provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, the Odisha Marine Fishing Regulation Act, and mandatory rules governing marine sanctuaries.

With the latest arrests, nearly 350 fishermen have been apprehended so far for intruding into the protected marine area, as the forest department intensifies enforcement to safeguard the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles, officials said.

The state government has imposed a seven-month mechanised fishing ban along a 20-km stretch from the Dhamara river mouth to the Devi river mouth from November 1, in view of the annual mass nesting of Olive Ridley turtles. Fishing remains prohibited throughout the year within the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary due to its protected status.

Forest officials said Olive Ridley turtles, listed as a Schedule-I species under the Wildlife Protection Act, often die after getting entangled in fishing nets for prolonged periods, leading to asphyxiation. Many also perish after being struck by the fast-moving propellers of mechanised fishing trawlers, underscoring the need for strict enforcement of fishing regulations in the sanctuary.