Kendrapara, Oct. 5 (UDN): The Odisha Forest Department has seized a fishing trawler allegedly caught operating illegally inside the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary and arrested seven fishermen in connection with the violation.
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The enforcement action was carried out during a late-night patrol near the Ekakula mouth, where the vessel was reportedly found fishing inside the protected marine zone.
Trawler Caught During Night Patrol
According to Forest Department officials, a patrol team operating under the direction of Gahirmatha Range Officer Chitrasen Jena and led by Barunei Forester Deepak Kumar Majhi intercepted the trawler, identified as Jai Maa Santoshi-1, at around 2:25 am.
The vessel was allegedly engaged in fishing within the sanctuary, where such activities are prohibited to protect the marine ecosystem and endangered species.
Fishing Equipment, Catch Seized
During the operation, officials seized several items from the trawler, including:
One GPS device
One fish finder
One VHF communication set
Six trawling nets
Around 400 kg of fish
The seized equipment and catch were taken into departmental custody as part of the investigation.
Seven Fishermen Held
The arrested fishermen were identified as Muna Mallick, Chakradhar Mallick, Purushottam Mallick and Manmatha Mallick, all from Balasore district, along with Debabrata Paramanik, Nilakantha Mohanty and Sankarshan Majhi of Raghabpur village under Basta police station.
The Forest Department subsequently produced all seven accused before the Kendrapara Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court.
Protection of Marine Sanctuary in Focus
The seizure comes amid continued enforcement efforts to prevent unauthorised fishing and other activities inside the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, a key marine conservation zone along Odisha’s coast.
Forest officials said patrols are being maintained in the protected waters to detect and prevent illegal fishing activities.
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