Eleven fishermen arrested; five trawlers seized

Kendrapada, Mar 18 (UNI) The Bhitarkanika forest officials have arrested 11 fishermen and seized 5 trawlers for fishing illegally in the prohibited zone under Gahirmatha Marine sanctuary According to Rajnagar Forest Division Ranger Srirampada Arabinda Mishra the forest officials on patrolling duty in the sea coast to noticed fishermen in five mechanised trawlers illegally fishing in the prohibited zone.

The forest officials arrested 11 persons, seized five mechanised vessels and the fish catch from their possessions. While some of the arrested fishermen belonged to Andhra Pradesh others were from the local area.

They were booked under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class court at Pattmundai yesterday.

All the eleven fishermen were sent to jail by the court after their bail petitions were rejected. The State Forest Department has imposed ban on fishing around 20 km of the coast from November to May last as a precautionary measure to protect the endangered marine turtles, who come in lakhs for mass nesting on the beach at Gahirmatha beach.

The Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, is considered as the world's largest rookeries for the Olive Ridleys.

Official sources said so far 70 fishermen were arrested and 25 trawlers seized. Over 1.60 lakh Olive Ridley sea turtles have already arrived on the sandy beaches of Gahirmatha marine sanctuary for laying eggs during the ongoing nesting season.

UNI