Kendrapara, Nov 6  : The Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary personnel have arrested six fishermen for unauthorisedly catching fish near Agarnashi at the ‘No Fishing zone and seized the fishing trawler used by them.
The arrested fishermen were later booked under Section 27,29,31 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act,1972, and produced before the JMFC court of Rajnagar which remanded them into jail custody.
Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary Ranger Pradosh Moharana on Monday said the fishermen had trespassed into the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary with a fishing vessel on Sunday.
The forest personnel intercepted the trawler and arrested the fishermen. They also seized about 8 quintals of marine fish catch and other fishing equipment from the possessions of the fishermen.
This is the first arrest of the fishermen and seizure of a fishing trawler after a fishing ban imposed by the fishery department at the “No Fishing Zone “during the ongoing turtle nesting season.
The marine fishery department imposed a ban on fishing activities inside the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary from November 1 to May 31, 2024, for seven months by provisions of Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act (OMFRA), 1982, Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and Orissa Marine Fishing Rules1983.
The ban has been imposed to protect the endangered Olive Ridley Sea turtles, who come en-mass to lay eggs in Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, known as the largest rookery of the species.