Kendrapara: Several Olive Ridley sea turtles carcasses were found along the stretch of beaches in Ekakula, Satabhaya, Habalikhati, Pentha, and Nasi-I, Madali coasts under the Gahirmatha Marine sanctuary off Odisha coast.
The wildlife activists argued that turtles are dying in several strategic locations due to illegal fishing in Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.
But the forest officials claimed that the turtles’ death toll is on the lower side this time at Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary due to the tight vigil and surveillance on fishing in mechanized trawlers.
The endangered Olive Ridley turtles, protected under Schedule 1 of Wildlife Protection Act,1972, are killed when they get trapped and entangled in the fishing nets during the mating season when they congregate in lakhs for mass nesting in the sandy beaches of Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.
Though the State Fishery (Marine) Department has prohibited fishing within 20 km off the sea coast from November 1 to May 31st 2022, illegal fishing is going on in the prohibited zone within the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, wildlife lovers alleged.
Sea surveillance has been tightened to curb down fishing within the No Fishing Zone of Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, said Ranger of Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary Debashis Bhoi.
UNI
