Kendrapara: The forest department officials have sighted hundreds of Olive Ridley turtles in the deep sea near Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary (GMS).
The sighting indicates that the marine turtles have once again started their annual trip to the world’s largest rookery, said ranger of GMS, Sriramapada Arabinda Mishra.
As usual, a seven-month fishing ban will be enforced from November 1 by the marine fishery and forest departments to protect the endangered turtles during their annual breeding and nesting season.
Forest department sources said the Olive Ridley season is approaching and the marine fishery department is going to impose the ban on fishing inside the GMS from November 1, 2018 to May 31, 2019 as per the Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act (OMFRA), 1982, the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1982, and the Orissa Marine Fishing Rules, 1983, to protect the turtles.
The ban would be in force up to 20 km off the coast in the Bay of Bengal, ranger Mishra said.
GMS is considered the world’s largest rookery of Olive Ridley turtles. The forest personnel at the Bhitarkanika National Park have requested the Indian Coast Guard, the marine police and the fishery department to step up surveillance during the nesting season of the turtles.
Forest department officials are going to set up two offshore camps at Babubali and Agarnasi. Fourteen onshore camps are also planned near the GMS from Dhamara to Devi river mouth to prevent the entry of fishing trawlers into the sanctuary.
Around 6.68 lakh Olive Ridley turtles laid eggs on the Nasi-2 beach of GMS from March 7 to March 12, 2018, said the ranger.
Around 65 fishing trawlers, including gill netters, were intercepted and nearly 500 fishermen were arrested by GMS personnel for illegal fishing in the marine sanctuary after trawlers were banned from November 1, 2017 to July 31, 2018.
In 1997, the government had declared the GMS as a marine sanctuary to protect the endangered turtles.
PNN
