Kendrapara, June 17 (UNI) After a gap of six-and-a-half months, marine fishermen in Kendrapara district resumed fishing activities on Monday following the lifting of the fishing ban within a 20 km radius of the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.
The Odisha Marine Fisheries Department had imposed the ban from November 1, 2024 to May 30, 2025, in accordance with the provisions of the Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act (OMFRA), 1982.
In addition, a second ban was in effect from April 15, 2024 to June 14, 2025, under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the OMFRA, and the Orissa Marine Fishing Rules, 1983.
These measures aimed to protect the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles, which nest in large numbers at Gahirmatha.
The ban was introduced with conservation in mind, as trawlers using fine-mesh nets risk capturing eggs and juvenile fish, thereby disrupting the breeding cycle and depleting fish population.
With the fishing season now open, trawler and mechanized boat owners performed traditional rituals, worshipping their vessels and the sea god, Baruna, before setting out.
"More than 25 to 30 boats ventured into the sea on the first day," said Tushar Sardar, an office-bearer of the Maa Ramchandi Boat Owners’ Association in Kharanashi.
The Marine Fisheries Department has directed fishermen to carry valid registration certificates and licences for their boats or trawlers before going to the sea. They are also required to carry their biometric marine fishery identity cards, according to official sources.
Although the fishing ban in general waters has been lifted, fishermen have been strictly prohibited from entering the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary with trawlers.
The Forest Department enforces a year-round ban on fishing within the sanctuary limits.
“Any act of trespassing and fishing within the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary will invite strict action. Forest personnel will not only arrest the violators but also seize their boats,” warned Kapilendra Pradhan, Ranger of the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.
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