Bhubaneswar (ABC Live): Orissa government has banned fishing for the nesting and breeding season of Olive Ridley turtles for next seven months.The ban will be in force along 120 km sea coast in six districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Puri and Ganjam till May 31 next year. Information to this effect was made by the Orissa government fisheries department that, “The ban has been clamped in a bid to curb high mortality of the marine species. There will be no fishing by boats within 5 km radius, by motorboats within 10 km radius and by trawlers within 20 km radius.” Reacting to fishing ban, fishermen feel that government has taken action under the influence of International environment and wildlife conservation activists who speak for the turtles but did not make alternate arrangement for them to earn their livelihood. |