Paradip, Feb. 23: Tight vigil along the state coast has brought unlawful sea fishing to a grinding halt at the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.
Coastal security patrolling has been considerably beefed up in the past two months in view of a terror threat perception.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited the state twice this month. Besides, the interception an al Qaida operative from near Cuttack and the arrest of Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) activists from Rourkela has made us more vigilant. We are doing everything to check possible infiltration of subversive and anti-national elements through the sea route. Therefore, we enhanced security vigil in addition to round-the-clock patrolling, and this has brought illegal fishing at the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, the habitation corridors of the olive ridley turtles, almost to a grinding halt," said a coast guard personnel based in Paradip.
A ban on sea fishing remains in force within the 20-km-long marine sanctuary to ensure the safety of the turtles. The sea-going fishermen have largely stayed away from venturing into the sea as security has been tightened considerably, said additional fisheries (marine) officer, Paradip, Bharat Chandra Sahoo.
As is the practice, the state government, in a bid to curb high mortality of these marine species, has prohibited fishing activity within a 20km radius into the sea from the sanctuary from November 1 till May 31 in accordance with sections 2, 7 & 4 of the Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1982.
A forest official said: "It has come as a blessing in disguise for the turtles. Fishermen have shied away from fishing in the prohibited territory because of stepped-up coastal security."
Rajnagar mangrove (wildlife) division forest officer Bimal Prasanna Acharya said: "In the past fortnight, not a single case of trawler intrusion has been detected. The coast guard's security patrolling has invigorated the turtle conservation drive. The joint patrolling by the forest department, marine police and the fisheries body has been going on well because of the coast guard ship's strong presence."
The coast guard official said security measures had been stepped up in a co-ordinated manner with their counterparts in Haldia (Bengal) and Visakhapatnam. "Suspicious vessels will be swiftly intercepted," he said.
A forest official said there was an increase in the awareness level among the fishermen's communities. As a result, unlawful sea fishing activity has come down considerably this year.
