Berhampur: The Forest Department personnel have seized a trawler and detained eight fishermen hailing from Andhra Pradesh while they were fishing illegally in the no-fishing zone in the sea declared for conservation of Olive Ridley sea turtles.
Fishermen have been banned from fishing in certain areas during the mass nesting of millions of Olive Ridley sea turtles near the Rushikulya river mouth in Odisha’s Ganjam district. However, the fishermen from the neighbouring state were found fishing in the restricted zone and were apprehended by the patrolling team.
According to the forest department, the fishing trawler has been seized and the eight fishermen are undergoing interrogation in detention.
Rushikulya is situated in the Ganjam district of Odisha along the Bay of Bengal and is one of the most prominent locations for Olive Ridley mass nesting, an annual feature where female turtles arrive on the beach to prepare their nests and lay their eggs.
The Odisha government has banned fishing for seven months from November to March around the sites where the endangered Olive Ridley turtles congregate for mass nesting. DFO Amlan Nayak informed that action will be taken against those who violate the restrictions imposed in fishing in certain areas.
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