September 16th 2024.
In the coastal towns of Mahakalapara and Rajnagar, a concerning trend has emerged as a result of repeated low pressures on the Bay of Bengal. Shoals of hilsa fish, which are typically found in the waters off Bangladesh, have been swept away to the shores of Odisha. This event has caused a sudden increase in illegal fishing activities in the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary area, near the Bhitarkanika region in Kendrapara district.
Late Saturday night, forest department personnel were alerted to suspicious activity in the prohibited zone of the sanctuary. Upon investigation, they discovered 11 fishermen casting nets in the area and quickly took action to arrest them. The trawler they were using, named 'Maa Durga' and registered in West Bengal, was also seized. Among the arrested fishermen were Baburam Sahu, Anadi Kar, Bharat Das, Shibu Das, Anila Majhi, Hemant Majhi, Prasant Kumar Majhi, Subal Majhi, Mangal Das, Srimant Das, and Hrushikesh Das. These individuals hail from West Bengal and Balasore.
During the raid, the forest department seized 12 mobile phones, three quintal fish, a VHF, GPS, and 13 large fishing nets. A case was registered in connection with the illegal fishing activity, and the accused were brought before the court to face justice.
When questioned about the ongoing issue, Forest Range Officer Pradosh Moharana expressed his concern over the persistent sneaking into the prohibited zone by fishermen. He revealed that these individuals often enter the area late at night to avoid detection by forest personnel. However, the department is closely monitoring the movements of trawlers from their base camp and taking swift action whenever necessary to protect the sanctuary's marine life.
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