Post News Network
Kendrapara, Jan 22: A forest patrol team Thursday intercepted two fishing vessels in the prohibited zone of Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary and arrested 14 fishermen, besides seizing two quintal of fish and equipment, Gahirmatha ranger Subrat Kumar Patra said.
The forest personnel first intercepted a Paradip-based trawler ‘Maa Subhadra’ and arrested its five crew members. While returning with the seized vessel, the team intercepted a Kasafala-based trawler ‘Deba Kanya-III’ at Madali mouth and arrested nine crew members.
The arrested fishermen were identified as Dushmant Behera, Sadhu Charan Behera, Bimalkant Behera, Mahanta Swain, Kalalakanta Mallick, Narendra Majhi, Ramakanta Majhi, Kailash Behera, Basant Jena, Chhotray Soren, Jagabandhu Majhi, Suman Majhi, Sukumar Majhi and Ajay Mandal. They belong to Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Balasore districts. The accused were produced in judicial magistrate first class court, Rajnagar and remanded in jail custody following rejection of their bail pleas.
The forest department has imposed a ban on fishing from November 1, 2014 to May 31, 2015 within 20 km off the coast of Gahirmatha in view of the annual nesting and breeding season of Olive Ridley sea turtles. As many as 13 fishing trawlers have so far been intercepted whereas 92 fishermen arrested for illegal fishing since the prohibition came into force.
