Seven Andhra fishermen held for intruding into Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary

Forest officials on Tuesday arrested seven marine fishermen from Andhra Pradesh on the charge of illegally fishing within the turtle congregation zone in Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary in Odisha’s Kendrapara district, officials said.

The arrested marine fishermen were natives of Andhra Pradesh’s Vizianagaram district. Forest officials seized the trawler and the fishing implements they had used to venture into the prohibited areas of the marine sanctuary. The fishermen were later remanded in judicial custody under relevant sections of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the officials said.

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The fishing vessel had trespassed into the prohibited sanctuary corridors, contravening the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, the Odisha Marine Fishing Regulation Act, and the mandatory rules of the marine sanctuary, the officials added.

With the latest interception, around 110 fishermen have so far been arrested for acts of intrusion into the marine sanctuary as the forest department is intent on ensuring the safety of Olive Ridley sea turtles, the officials said. Around a dozen sea-worthy vessels were also seized in the process since the November 1 enforcement of the sea-fishing ban.

It may be noted that the state government had imposed a seven-month-long trawl fishing ban along the 20-km Dhamara-Devi river mouth stretch from 1 November in view of the ensuing mass nesting of endangered Olive Ridley turtles. Fishing is prohibited round the year in Gahirmatha, as the area has been accorded the status of a marine sanctuary. The mute species, listed under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act due to their highly threatened status, often become entangled in fishing nets for prolonged periods and die of asphyxiation. Many turtles also perish after being struck by the fast-moving propellers of fishing trawlers, the forest personnel said.

More than 6.06 lakh Olive Ridley turtles had turned up for their annual mass nesting during the March 2025 season. The female turtles emerged from the sea, crawled onto the serene beach, and dug pits to lay millions of eggs.