The Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary personnel on Thursday arrested 10 fishermen on the charges of catching fish illegally by trespassing into the No fishing zone of Gahirmatha marine sanctuary. The forest personnel intercepted trawler, and seized 5 quintals of fish catch, 8 trawl fishing nets , one VHFfish finder and GPS set from the possession of arrested fishermen, forester of Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, Mahanta Kumar Mallick said. As the sporadic nesting of endangered Olive Ridley has started at Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary and possibility of mass nesting at any time the forest personnel of Gahitrmatha have intensified patrolling to protect the endangered sea turtle. The arrested fishermen were booked under various sections of Wildlife Protection Act and produced before the Rajnagar court which remanded them jail custody after rejecting their bail pleas . Official sources said so far 55 fishing trawlers and gill netters have been seized and 405 fishermen arrested by the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary personnel ever since the ban on fishing imposed from November 1 last to protect the Olive Ridley during their mass nesting.
United News of India.