Mahakalapara: Rampant fishing in the water bodies and seawaters of Kendrapara district and smuggling of marine species have resulted in drastic fall in their count triggering concern among the conservationists, a report said.
Although the Forest department has imposed a ban on catching crabs and trading them in areas under Rajnagar forest division, fishermen continue to cast nets in the water bodies near Gahirmatha marine sanctuary.
They have been catching fish and crab in huge amounts from Gobari, Ramachandi, and Galia rivers – distributaries of Mahanadi.
Such rampant catching of fish and crab has resulted in a severe food crisis for the giant saltwater crocodiles living in the area. Casting nets in water bodies has become life threatening for the crocodiles.
Catching crabs from the water bodies has become so rampant that as many as 200 shops selling crabs have come up in the area in recent times, said sources.
Traders buy these crabs and fishes from local fishermen at a very nominal price and export them to foreign countries via Paradip and Kolkata for a premium. These crabs are also transported to other states at high prices.
The fishermen mainly catch crabs like mud crabs, hurley crabs, red crabs, marine crabs and various varieties of sea fish which are sold for Rs 50,000 per kg. Mud crabs are being sold in this region at Rs 1,000 – Rs 3,000 per kg.
These dealers pack the crabs in big bamboo containers and smuggle them to hotels in big cities like Kolkata, Raipur and Hyderabad. Mud crabs have high demand in national as well as international markets.
Foreigners are served with various delicacies prepared with these crabs. A local fish trader said that the demand for these marine fishes and crabs is very high as medicines are also prepared from these marine creatures.
Some fishermen, requesting anonymity, said that despite the ban, they are allowed to fish in the water bodies in lieu monthly bribes to Forest officials. They take action only against fishermen who refuse to pay the bribe.
Fishermen Bikash Mandal, Gurupada Bera, Panchanan Bera, Bimal Bera and Aswini Maiti said they are forced to catch fish and crab from the water bodies and the sea to earn a living as they do not own any farmland.
Environmentalist Samarendra Mahali had earlier said that crabs and fish were found in abundance in the water bodies of this coastal area.
However, rampant fishing activities and discharge of industrial effluents into the water bodies have taken a toll on their population.
Moreover, discharge of chemical mixed water from the prawn gheries and use of modern fishing nets has led to a decline in their population. He warned that if proper measures are not taken immediately, these marine creatures will vanish from these water bodies soon.
When contacted, Mahakalapara Forest ranger Sahaji Charan Biswal said Forest officials are regularly patrolling in the area and recently caught some fishermen fishing in Kharinasi reserve forest areas.
PNN