Fishing ban from Nov 1 at Gahirmatha marine sanctuary

Kendrapada: The annual fishing ban comes into effect at Gahirmatha marine sanctuary and Rushikulya beach from Friday. It will be in force till May 31.

Officials said restriction on fishing aims at helping fish grow and protect endangered Olive Ridley turtles from being killed by trawlers. Turtles come in lakhs particularly to these two places along the Odisha coast to lay eggs.

"Trawlers and boatmen have been directed not to fish within 20 km off the coastline in the marine sanctuary area on the 35-km stretch from Aagaranasi to Dhamra," said divisional forest officer of Bhitarkanika national park Kedar Kumar Swain.

Forest guards have already been deployed to arrest fishermen defying the ban.

Around 1.65 lakh turtles laid eggs at Nasi- 1 and Nasi-2 islands within Gahiramatha marine sanctuary last year.

Forest officials seized about 70 boats and arrested 200 fishermen last year on charges fishing in the marine sanctuary during the ban period, added the officer.