The Forest department Thursday arrested eight more marine fishermen on charge of illegally fishing along the turtle habitation zones in Gahirmatha marine sanctuary of Odisha’s 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 to judicial custody under relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, they said.

The Odisha government earlier clamped a seven-month-long trawl fishing ban

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