Kendrapara: Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary personnel Sunday intercepted three fishing vessels, including a gillnetter, in the ‘no fishing zone’ of the sanctuary and arrested 30 fishermen for illegally catching fish, said Srirampada Arabinda Mishra, ACF-cum-in charge of the sanctuary.
The forest personnel also seized 20 quintals of fish catch, two fish finder machines, two VHF sets, two GPS devices, 30 fishing nets and other equipment from their possession.
A team of forest personnel came across the vessels while patrolling in the sanctuary. The arrested fishermen will be produced in the JMFC court of Rajnagar Monday, Mishra said.
The state marine fishery department has imposed a ban on fishing activities inside the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary from November 1, 2018 to May 31, 2019, to protect the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles which come en masse for nesting in the golden beaches of Gahirmatha, said to be the largest rookery of the turtles in the world.
The sanctuary personnel had October 25 night intercepted two trawlers and arrested 13 fishermen on the charges of catching fish illegally by trespassing into the ‘no fishing zone’.
PNN