Odisha: 32 arrested for fishing in prohibited sea zone

Odisha's forest personnel arrested 32 fishermen for trespassing into the prohibited Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, out-of-bounds for fishermen, an official said on Wednesday.

Fishing along the entire Odisha coast is banned from November to May every year in view of the Olive Ridley turtle nesting at Gahirmatha. Two fishing vessels with over 10 quintals of fish, fishing nets and GPS devices were seized by the patrolling unit, an official said.

The arrested fishermen are residents of villages in Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore and Jagatsinghpur districts, he said.

They were arrested under sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1982.

Prohibition on sea fishing remains enforced in the marine sanctuary area throughout the year, and along the Odisha coast from November to May every year in view of the annual mass nesting of the endangered Olive Ridley turtles at Gahirmatha.