22 held for unlawful fishing activity in Odisha's marine sanctuary

At least 22 fishermenhave been arrested on the charge of carrying out unlawfulactivity in the turtle-concentration zones of Odisha'sGahirmatha marine sanctuary, a forest department official heresaid on Friday.

Two trawlers used by the intruders for fishing alongthe prohibited sanctuary area were seized by thedepartment's patrol teams, he said.

The intruders, who were arrested on Thursday, areresidents of Jagatsinghpur district. They were remanded injudicial custody earlier in the day, the official said.

The fishermen had entered the prohibited zone,contravening the provisions of Wildlife Protection Act, OrissaMarine Fishing Regulation Act and mandatory rules of thesanctuary, he explained.

With the latest interception, over 100 fishermen havebeen arrested and 22 vessels seized since November for acts ofintrusion into the marine sanctuary -- which is the breedingground of highly endangered Olive Ridley turtles.

The turtles, on several occasions, get hit by thefast-moving propeller of the trawlers or die of asphyxiationafter getting entangled in the fishing nets.

Fishing prohibition remains enforced round the year inGahirmatha as it has been accorded the status of a marinesanctuary.

The state government has, however, also clamped aseven-month-long fishing ban along the 20 km-stretch Dhamara-Devi river mouth near the sanctuary from November 1, to ensuresafety of the turtles during the nesting period.