Kakatpur: Even though hundreds of olive ridley sea turtles have fallen prey to illegal fishing in prohibited zones of the coast here, the action taken by the Forest department has been few and far between.
Fishing through trawlers and mechanized boats has been banned from Devi river mouth to Chandrabhaga estuary owing the nesting season of olive ridley sea turtles.
According to locals and fishermen, many turtles have been found dead on the coast here after getting entangled in the fishing nets of trawlers.
The Forest department officials have been told to carry out regular patrolling on the coast to keep tabs on the violators.
However, many fishing trawlers are seen in the prohibited zone. The Forest department officials have seized only one trawler for illegal fishing in last three months, sources said.
“We have information that hundreds of carcasses of olive ridley turtles are floating in the coast here. The Forest department has failed to take stern action against illegal fishing. The state government should take up the issue seriously and do the needful to conserve olive ridleys,” said social activist Bichitranand Biswal.
Astarang forest ranger Jogendra Patra said they were regularly patrolling on the coast to ensure protection of the sea turtles. “We would soon take stern action against illegal fishing activities in the sea,” he added.