Eight fishermen arrested for illegal fishing in Gahirmatha

Eight fishermen were arrested for illegal fishing in the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary in Kendrapada district on Friday night. Their trawler was seized, along with seven quintals of fish. Gahirmatha beach is known as the world's largest nesting site for Olive Ridley sea turtles. To protect these endangered turtles during their nesting season, a fishing ban is in place from November to May. This year, more than 600,000 turtles laid eggs in the sanctuary. During the operation, officials seized equipment including three VHF sets, one GPS device, one fish finder, 13 fishing nets, and three mobile phones. Since the fishing ban began, authorities have seized 38 vessels and arrested around 350 fishermen.