Kendrapara: Forest personnel have taken into custody 23 fishermen in a mid-sea interception of unlawful fishing along the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.

Three fishing trawls used by the intruders for fishing along the prohibited marine sanctuary area were seized by the patrolling unit engaged by forest department near Satabhaya coast. Nearly four quintals sea fish catch was seized from the impounded vessels.

Prohibition on sea fishing remains enforced round the year within the marine sanctuary limits. However, sea patrolling is stepped up within the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary water territory during November-May every year in view of the annual mass nesting season of the endangered olive ridley sea turtles.

The arrested fishermen are all natives of fishing villages in Dhamra block of Bhadrak district. The fishing vessels had trespassed into prohibited sanctuary corridors contravening the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, the Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act and the mandatory rules of the marine sanctuary.

"The crews of fishing vessels and marine fishermen communities have been warned not to venture into marine sanctuary area. It is unlawful to fish in the marine sanctuary throughout the year. They have been made aware on the restrictions imposed on human activities in the marine sanctuary," said divisional forest officer Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) forest division Bimal Prasanna Acharya.