KENDRAPARA: The Forest department has imposed a seven-month fishing ban in Gahirmatha marine sanctuary within Bhitarkanika National Park from November 1 to May 31, 2023 to protect the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles.
“Gahirmatha marine sanctuary is a prime feeding area for sea turtles that nest all the way up to Nasi-1 and Nasi-2 islands within Gahirmatha beach and other areas. Trawlers and boatmen have been directed not to fish within 20 km of the coastline in the marine sanctuary area which is spread over 1,435 sq km from Hukitola to Dhamra. Guards have already been deployed to restrict fishermen,” said range officer of the sanctuary Manas Das.
The turtles will arrive in November for mating in the sea. The female marine species will lay eggs in March. The Forest department has set up 14 turtle protection camps including two offshore ones at Madali and Babubali islands to protect the turtles. Personnel of marine police stations at Jamboo, Tantiapala and Talachua in Kendrapada and Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district along with the Indian Coast Guard will help forest officials prevent illegal fishing this year. “We had demarcated the marine sanctuary by floating 14 buoys in the sea last year,” said Das.
Due to the fishing ban imposed by authorities, 5,01,157 turtles had laid eggs from March 25 to March 28 this year at Nasi-1 and Nasi-2 islands within the marine sanctuary.