KENDRAPARA: Forest officials arrested eight fishermen on charges of illegal fishing in Gahirmatha marine sanctuary here on Thursday night.
Forest range officer of Gahirmatha Kapilendra Pradhan said a trawler, 14 quintal of fish, one GPS, two VHFs and 11 fishing nets were also seized from the accused fishermen who belong to Balasore district.
Marine fishermen have been directed not to fish within 20 km from the coastline in the marine sanctuary areas covering 1,435 sq km in the sea from Hukitola to Dhamara.
As Gahirmatha beach is one of the largest rookeries of Olive Ridley turtles, the government has banned all types of fishing for seven months from November 1 to May 31 to save the endangered marine species, said Pradhan. The accused were booked under sections of 9, 27, 29, 31 and 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. They were produced in court on Friday.