Kendrapara, Sept. 16: Forest personnel have taken 14 fishermen into custody and seized six mechanised vessels for fishing inside the prohibited areas of the river system within the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary.

“The offenders were illegally fishing along the Bhitarkanika river system under Kantiakhai forest block of the national park. As fishing is prohibited within the national park water bodies, a special squad of forest personnel arrested them from the site. Six mechanised vessels, fishing implements and nets were seized from their possession,” said divisional forest officer, Rajnagar mangrove (wildlife) forest division, Manoj Kumar Mahapatra.

The offenders, who are all from the nearby human settlements, were later remanded to jail custody today under the provisions of 27, 29 and 35 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, he added.

Moreover, a poaching racket active in the area was also intercepted with the arrested of four active members of the gang. The culprits were nabbed when they had trespassed into the core forest area for poaching spotted deer. Poaching implements such as spears, nylon loops and nets were seized from them. The wildlife offenders confessed to the fact that killing deer was a seasonal business on their part.

The forest department had intensified vigil on poaching activity and unlawful fishing with constitution of anti-poaching squads, which were keeping round-the-clock watch on such operations, said a forest official.

Keeping tab on illegal fishing has become imperative to protect fishes and other aquatic species. The food reserve of the endangered estuarine crocodiles is getting depleted because of fishing within the prohibited Bhitarkanika river system. As a result, the crocodiles had gone itinerant and were found straying into village-side water bodies mainly in search of food, added another forest official.

The crackdown has, however, evoked sharp reaction with traditional fishermen community describing the measures as arbitrary and anti-people.

“In the name of protecting forest and wildlife, the forest department has severely jeopardised the livelihood options of poor people living on the fringes of the sanctuary. Fishing is their age-old profession and it happens to be their sole source of living. Traditional fishermen are being driven to starvation,” said Tushar Sardar, president of the District Traditional Fishermen’s Association.

The forest and wildlife needs to be protected, but not at the cost of people’s livelihood. The forest department was yet to create alternate livelihood stakes for the fishermen, he said.

The forest officials, on the other hand, justified the crackdown on illegal fishing. “As fishermen infringed law to trespass into the sanctuary, they were booked. People are bereft of their fishing rights within the prohibited water corridors. Fishing is allowed outside the wildlife sanctuary limits,” Mahapatra said.

Adequate measures had been adopted to explore alternate livelihood opportunities for those living along the sanctuary side villages, he said.