During a sea patrolling at the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, forest personnel on Monday night seized two fishing vessels, including a trawler, and arrested 14 fishermen for catching fish in sea in the prohibited sanctuary area. The police seized six quintal of fish, eight fishing nets and other fishing equipments from them, informed Rajnagar Mangrove (Forest) and Wildlife Division DFO Kedar Kumar Swain.
According to forest official sources, a patrolling team led by Gahirmatha Ranger Subrat Kumar Patra intercepted the two vessels, Talachua-based ‘Soudamini’ and Balaramgadi-based vessel ‘Maa Basulai-8” catching fish within the prohibited zone. Seven crew members from each vessel were arrested. The arrested fishermen were identified as residents of Dadhibamanpur of Bhadrak district. They were produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class court of Rajnagar and remanded into jail custody after their bail petitions were rejected. Notably, a seven-month fishing ban has been imposed in the sanctuary area till May 31.