Bhubaneshwar, Nov. 6 -- Forest officials on Thursday arrested 16 marine fishermen and seized their trawler from the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary of Odisha's Kendrapara district on charges of illegally fishing within the turtle congregation zone, an official said.
The fishing trawler, used by the intruders for fishing along the prohibited sanctuary area, was seized by the forest patrol teams. The intruders who were arrested are the marine fishermen of Bhadrak and Balasore districts. They were later remanded in judicial custody, said Assistant Conservator of Forest, Manas Das.
The fishing vessel had trespassed into prohibited sanctuary corridors contravening the provisions of wildlife protection act, Orissa marine fishing regulation Act and ...