Mahakalpara: Illegal fishing has been rampant in prohibited area along the coast under Mahakalpara block in Kendrapara. Hundreds of trawlers are now seen fishing inside Gahirmatha sanctuary in the evening time.
By morning, these trawlers reportedly net huge quantities of fish. Fish is transported in hundreds of vans and trucks to Kolkata, Raipur, Balasore and Andhra Pradesh.
When illegal fishing has been rampant in the prohibited zone marked for the marine turtles, the silence maintained by the forest department, the fisheries department, the marine police station and the Coast Guard has come into question.
It was alleged that most of the trawlers engaged in fishing in prohibited area belong to people of Digha (West Bengal), Balasore, Bhadrak, Kasaphala, Dhamra and Balaramgadi.
Such fishing activities in prohibited areas have posed serious danger to Olive Ridleys. Environmentalists have expressed concern over such development.
“The ganj nets used by these trawlers for fishing are a major danger to the marine turtles,” said Samarendra Mahalik, an environmentalist.
Mahalik was shocked to see how trawlers have been allowed to fish inside the prohibited area.
Conscious citizens like Laxmikant Swain, Subash Swain and Nirakar Swain have cast their doubts on the role of forest department, the fisheries department, the marine police station and the Coast Guard as illegal fishing goes on in the prohibited zone for the marine turtles.
They have alleged that valuable fish varieties are caught in prohibited area and trawler owners earn big bucks, but the administration is taking no action against the trawlers.
These trawlers should be seized, they added. One can see hundreds of trawlers fishing every day in Mahandi near Bahakud village.
When contacted, IIC of Jambu marine police station Paresh Kumar Mohanty said information was received about entry of trawlers in the prohibited area. “Action will be taken against the trawlers soon,” he assured.
PNN
