Wildlife officials on Sunday arrested six fishermen on the charge of catching fishes in sea near a turtle nesting site in Gahirmatha marine sanctuary area in Kendrapada district.
Accordingt to DFO Kedar Kumar Swain, a mechanised trawler and 100 kg of fish were also seized from the arrested persons. This is the first arrest made in the sanctuary after the seven-month fishing ban came into effect from November 1, he said.
Notably, fishermen have been debarred from taking up fishing activities in sea from along 120-km coast line in order to protect the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles during the coming nesting and breeding season.