Kendrapara (Odisha), Dec 7 (PTI) Coast guard personnelhave arrested 39 fishermen for alleged unlawful trawlingactivities in turtle concentration zones of Odisha'sGahirmatha marine sanctuary.
Four fishing vessels used by the intruders to ventureinto the prohibited sanctuary were also seized by thepatrolling unit on board a ship, Coast Guard commandant Ashissaid.
The interception took place yesterday near Agarnasicoast, around 11 nautical miles from Paradip shore, Ashissaid.
The coast guard ship had spotted the trawls and askedthe fishermen to surrender through a wireless communicationsystem. They surrendered soon after, he said.
The fishing vessels had trespassed into prohibitedcorridors, contravening the provisions of Wildlife ProtectionAct, Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act and the rules of themarine sanctuary.
The fishermen and the seized vessels were later handedover to forest department, the commandant added.
The turtles usually get ensnared in fishing nets orhit by trawls' propellers, Gahirmatha Forest Range OfficerSubrata Patra explained.
"The Coast Guard has done a commendable job to ensurethe safety of turtles in the sanctuary," Patra said, addingthat the fishermen were produced before a local court, whichremanded them in judicial custody for 14 days. PTI COR SKNRMS.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.