About 25,000 fishermen in Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts are looking for alternative means of livelihood following a ban on marine fishing in and around the Gahirmatha sanctuary in view of mass nesting season of endangered Olive ridley sea turtles. The State government clamped a seven-month ban on Monday on fishing activity along the entire 20 km stretch of Dhamra-Barunei mouth within Gahirmatha marine sanctuary. Fishing within the prohibitory zones disturbed mating of turtles, said Manoj Kumar Mahapatra, Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar mangrove (wildlife) forest division.
Drop in catch
In view of drop in fish catch, the fishermen have been voicing their demand for temporary permits for fishing once a week, he said.
Last year the government made a commitment in this regard but it was never implemented, pushing the marine fishermen in great difficulty, said Orissa Traditional Marine Fishermen Association president Narayan Haldar. “Conservation of endangered ridleys is important but it should not be at the cost of livelihood of thousands of fishermen who cause no harm to turtles,” claimed Jibanlal Behera, chief of Paradip-based Traditional Marine Fishermen Association. -PTI