16 Fishermen Arrested for Illegal Fishing in Odisha's Turtle Sanctuary

• 16 fishermen were arrested near Gahirmatha marine sanctuary in Kendrapara district, Odisha, for illegal fishing.
• The arrests were made within the designated turtle congregation zone, a prohibited area for fishing.
• The arrested individuals are marine fishermen from Bhadrak, Balasore, Jajpur, and Mayurbhanj districts.
• Their fishing trawl was seized, and they were remanded to judicial custody for violating wildlife protection laws.
• Approximately 300 fishermen have been arrested so far this season to protect endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles.

Why It Matters: Odisha authorities arrested 16 fishermen for illegal fishing in a protected turtle sanctuary to safeguard Olive Ridley turtles.