KENDRAPARA: Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary within Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapara district, known as the world’s largest rookery of endangered Olive Ridley Sea Turtles, was recently demarcated by the Forest department.Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Bhitarkanika National Park Bimal Prasan Acharya said the 68-km marine sanctuary from Hutikola to Dhamar was demarcated by deploying 15 floating buoys to prevent fishermen from entering the sanctuary.
The DFO said due to non-demarcation of the no-fishing zone in Gahirmatha in the past, several fishermen were arrested by Forest department and Coast Guard personnel for entering the sanctuary.However, the fishermen alleged the demarcation of the marine sanctuary has not been done properly.
Odisha Matsyajibi Forum president Narayan Chandra Haldar said around 100 floating buoys should be deployed as 15 is not enough to mark the no-fishing zone which covers 1,360 sq km in the sea. He said fishermen will face problems if the demarcation is not done properly.Haldar said the fishermen also need a passage at Barunei river mouth as it is not possible for them to enter the sea from the nearby fishing harbour at the port town of Paradip due to heavy siltation at the bottom of the harbour.
The boats suffer damage during low tide. The problem becomes worse when the boats return from sea with heavy catch. For years de-silting had not been done at the harbour, resulting in accumulation of sand and mud. “The Government should allow us to the use the nearby Barunei river mouth. We need the passage to fish beyond 20 km from the no-fishing zone of the marine sanctuary,” added Haldar.
The State Government has banned fishing in the marine sanctuary from November 1 to May 31 next year. However, there exists a clause in the Central Empowerment Committee’s directives, which says that there should be an alternative source of income before fishing ban is imposed on fishermen. But the authorities are yet to provide any alternative livelihood options to the affected fishermen as a result of which the fate of around 30,000 marine fishermen is now at stake, he said.