Kendrapara: The Forest department arrested eight marine fishermen on charge of illegally fishing along the turtle habitation zones in Gahirmatha marine sanctuary of Kendrapara district.

The department also seized their vessel and nets used in fishing. With the latest interception, around 120 fishermen have so far been arrested for acts of intrusion into the marine sanctuary, officials said.

Around a dozen sea-worthy vessels were also seized in the process since the November 1 enforcement of the sea-fishing ban.

The arrested fishermen were natives of Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts. Later, they were remanded in judicial custody under relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

The Odisha government earlier clamped a seven-month-long trawl fishing ban along the 20 km stretch of Dhamara-Devi river mouth from November 1 in view of the ensuing mass nesting of endangered Olive Ridley marine turtles.

However, the fishing prohibition remains enforced round the year in Gahirmatha as it is accorded the status of a marine sanctuary.

The fishing ban is imposed as the mute species, accorded as a Schedule 1 animal under the Wildlife Protection Act for its highly threatened status, get entangled in the nets for prolonged periods and die of asphyxiation. The turtles also perish in large numbers after getting hit by the fast-moving propeller of the fishing trawlers, forest personnel said.