Seven-month fishing ban at Gahirmatha marine sanctuary to protect Olive Ridley turtles
Kendrapara, Oct 31 (UNI) A seven-month-long fishing ban at the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary will come into effect from tomorrow and continue until May 31, 2026.
The restriction, extending up to 20 km off the Bay of Bengal coast, will be enforced by the Marine Fishery Department under the provisions of the Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1982, the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and the Orissa Marine Fishing Rules, 1983.
The objective is to ensure the safety of the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles during their annual nesting season.
“We are going to create awareness among fishing communities in the coming days to seek their cooperation in protecting and conserving Olive Ridley sea turtles,” said Vardaraj Gaonkar, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Rajnagar Mangrove (Forest) & Wildlife Division.
Recognised as the world’s largest rookery of Olive Ridley turtles, Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary witnesses the arrival of thousands of these marine reptiles every year for mass nesting.
To safeguard the turtles and provide a suitable environment for the upcoming nesting season, forest officials from Bhitarkanika have sought assistance from the Coast Guard, Marine Police, and the Fisheries Department to intensify surveillance in and around the sanctuary, DFO Gaonkar added.
During the previous nesting season, from March 5 to March 10, 2025, as many as 6,06,399 Olive Ridley sea turtles arrived for mass nesting at the beaches within Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.
Among them, approximately 3.11 lakh turtles nested at Nasi-2 Beach, while around 2.95 lakh laid eggs at Ekakula Nasi Beach, according to official records.
