Kendrapara: As many as 18 fishermen were arrested and sent to jail for illegally catching fish by trespassing into the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.
The forest personnel have already imposed a seven month long fishing ban from November 1.
Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary Ranger Debashis Bhoi said the fishermen were arrested and the forest personnel have seized seven quintals of fish catch, two fish finder machines, two VHF sets, two numbers of GPS sets and over a dozen fishing nets besides other fishing equipment from their possession.
All the arrested fishermen were produced before the JMFC court of Rajnagar Saturday and the court remanded them into jail custody after rejecting heir bail applications.
Bhoi said this is the first seizure after fishing ban was imposed on Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary in the ongoing turtle nesting season.
(UNI)
