Cuttack, Nov. 30: Fishermen in Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary area are still using mechanised boats despite a seven-month ban from November 1.

The government imposed the ban to protect the Olive Ridley sea turtles, which migrate to this particular coast every winter. But the initiative is apparently falling flat for slack enforcement of the ban because of poor co-ordination among the departments concerned.

The ban covers 20km around Gahirmatha sea shore in view of the mating and nesting season of the endangered turtles.

Local villagers said fishermen from Rajnagar and Mahakalpada areas in Kendrapada region are still venturing into the prohibited zone.

Although the ban is being enforced under the Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1982, and the Orissa Marine Fishing Rules, 1983, officials of the fisheries department seldom seize vessels involved in unauthorised fishing.

Officials of the Rajnagar mangrove forest (wildlife) division in which the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is located, however, today said that turtle surveillance patrolling teams had over the past six days intercepted two mechanised fishing vessels in the prohibited zone. At least four persons were arrested while fishing at Agarnasi on November 25 and another four were taken into custody from near the Babuballi island on November 28.

“The arrested fishermen were found to be residents of Kharnashi village in Mahakalpada block,” said a senior official of the Rajnagar mangrove forest (wildlife) division. The arrested fishermen had since been booked under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Gahirmatha beach, which forms the eastern boundary of Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, some 90km from here, supports the largest known nesting beach of Olive Ridley sea turtles in the world.