Odisha Government Banns Fishing and Tawrling for Seven Months to Protect Olive Ridley Turtles

Bhubaneswar: Odisha government has put a ban on fishing on about 1437 sq km at in Gahiramatha Marine Sanctuary which is the home for Olive Ridley Turtles. This ban has been implemented from Friday, 1 November. This has been imposed from 160 km from the Dharmara to the Devi  River mouth. The restriction will remain effective for a seven months time, from 1 November to 31 May.

Whereas the trawling and fishing activity is completely banned in the Gahiramatha Marine Sanctuary for one year. The Fishery Department has also imposed restriction on both trawling and fishing in Dhamara mouth and Devi River mouth due to turtle season. There are two camps are to be set up one in Babubali, another in Agarnashi to save the Olive Ridley Turtles.

The work of putting up camps will be started by the first week of November. There will be camps in total 14 places including Ekkula, Satbhaya, Jaudia, Dobandhi, Ishaqpeta, Talang, Jatadhara, Belkud 1 and 2, Hawakhana, Ramtara and Bandar. There will be five police officers deployed in each of the officers camp whereas three officers will be at the other 14 camps for the protection of the turtles.

As per the notification of the Forest Department, there will be joint patrolling by the Forest Department, Coast Guard , Marine Police and Fisheries Department to save the Olive Ridley Turtles from the notoriety pirates and fish mafias. The patrolling camps will be keeping an vigilant eye on any illegal trawling. Moreover there will be strict vigilant deployment in Babubali and Agarnashi.

The rare Olive Ridley Turtles move hundreds of nautical miles to Gahiramatha for reproduction. They only come back to their place after laying eggs and hatching them. Therefore the various government departments involved in the protection of the nature and it habitats are active in protection them during this period.