Kendrapara: In a crackdown on illegal fishing activities, the Forest Department on Thursday arrested 16 fishermen from the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary in Kendrapara district for allegedly fishing within the prohibited turtle congregation zone, officials said.
A trawler used for the illegal fishing operation was also seized by forest patrol teams, the official added.
The arrested fishermen, hailing from Bhadrak and Balasore districts, were later remanded to judicial custody.
According to forest officials, the fishing vessel had trespassed into the restricted sanctuary area, violating provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, the Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act, and marine sanctuary rules.
The Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, located along Odisha’s coast, is renowned as the world’s largest nesting ground of Olive Ridley sea turtles, and fishing activities are strictly prohibited within the turtle congregation zone during the nesting season to ensure their protection.
