Authorities have initiated steps to stop sea-fishing keeping in mind the forthcoming breeding season of the endangered olive ridley turtles. The state government will clamp a seven-month-long ban on fishing along the 20-km stretch of Dhamra-Rushikulya rivermouth within Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary from Wednesday for the mass nesting of the turtles. An estimated 26,000 traditional marine fishermen in coastal Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts are likely to be affected due to the ban order, which will remain effective from November 1 to May 31. The ban is being clamped in accordance with sections 2, 7 and 4 of the Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act (Omfra), 1982, and also relevant provisions of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. More than 300 trawls and vessels were seized and around 2,000 crews were arrested during the ban clamped last year for fishing in the prohibited zone. “To ensure the safety of turtles, the prohibitory orders will be strictly enforced. Trawl operators have been cautioned not to venture into the prohibited water zone. Any act of trespass will invite punitive measures,” said divisional forest officer, Rajnagar mangrove (wildlife) forest division, Bimal Prasanna Acharya. In another development, the fishermen are asking the government to provide temporary permits for fishing within the sanctuary limits at least once a week to compensate for the drop in marine fish catch caused by the ban. “To make up for the loss of livelihood sources during the ban, subsidised rice at Re 1-a-kg is being distributed under Rice for Olive Ridley Conservation (RORC) programme to more than 6,000 fishermen families,” said Paradip marine fisheries officer Bharat Bhusan Sahu. Most traditional fishermen fish with their indigenous kani or net that do not harm the turtles. However, the breeding turtles get killed by the trawlers, which use mono-filament nets that lead to their entangling with the vessels,” said Tushar Sardar, district-wing president of the Traditional Marine Fishermen’s Union. Ancillary sectors, such as ice factories also net-making units in areas such as Dhamra, Jamboo, Kharinasi, Ramnagar, Sandhakuda, Ambiki, Erasama and Paradipgada also face a seven-month-long shutdown due to the fishing ban. Skilled boat-makers from these areas have already begun heading towards Digha and Vishakhapatnam in the wake of prohibition.