Fishermen have resorted to trawler fishing and on-board trading of the catch in the unmanned Agarnasi island off the Bay of Bengal coast, flouting the fishing ban in the endangered olive ridley turtles’ breeding zones along the Gahimrmatha Marine Sanctuary. “Bolstered either by slack surveillance or alleged nexus of patrolling employees, on-board fish trade has picked up, posing hindrances to undisturbed breeding of the turtles. The vessels anchored in the sea double up as shops. The fish wholesalers and retailers, mostly from Dhamara and Paradip, throng the isolated spot for buying spree.The mid-sea fish marketing is a daily ritual despite claims of stepped-up vigil and patrolling by turtle protection units, said sources. The state government has clamped trawler fishing ban along the 20km stretch from the Dhamra river mouth to that of the Devi river from November 1 in view of the ensuing mass nesting of the turtles. The imposition, in accordance with sections 2,3,4 of the Orissa Maine Fishing Regulation Act, will remain effective till May 31. However, the fishing activity or any form other human interference is prohibited along the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary round the year. Sources said the onboard trading of catch made it clear that forest personnel had a nexus with the trawler mafia. The trading is taking place in the sanctuary area. “With money changing hands, the forest personnel have turned a blind eye to such nefarious activities,” said wildlife activist Ayashkant Ray. Forest officials, however, were unaware of such unlawful activity taking place mid-sea. “There is increased patrolling this year. That’s why more than 200 fishermen have been arrested since the ban from November 1. We have not come across such onboard trading during patrolling,” said Gahirmatha forest range oficer Subrat Patra. “The department has taken serious view of reports of mid-sea fish trade. The patrolling has been beefed up further in the Agarnasi zone to put to an end to this,” said Rajnagar mangrove (wildlife) forest divisional officer Bimal Prasanna Acharya.
2017 The Telegraph