7 Andhra fishermen arrested for fishing in turtle congregation zone in Odisha

Kendrapara, Nov 18 (PTI) Seven fishermen from Andhra Pradesh's Vizianagaram district were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly fishing in the turtle congregation zone of the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary in Odisha, officials said.

The trawl and fishing implements used by them in the prohibited area were seized, they said.

A court remanded them to judicial custody under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

With the latest interception, around 110 fishermen have so far been arrested for intruding into the marine sanctuary, where a fishing ban was imposed on November 1.

The seven-month-long ban was imposed along the 20-km stretch from the Dhamara-Devi river mouth in view of the ensuing mass nesting of endangered olive ridley marine turtles.

The turtles get entangled in the fishing nets and die of asphyxiation. The turtles also perish after getting hit by the propellers of the fishing trawlers, prompting the government to impose the ban. PTI COR AAM AAM SOM