Since Tuesday is the start of the Olive Ridley turtle breeding season, the Odisha government will prohibit fishing for seven months in a 20-kilometer radius from the mouths of the rivers Dhamara, Devi, and Rusikulya.
The ban is in place every year from November 1 to May 31 to prevent the turtles from getting trapped in fishing nets or running into trawler propellers, according to the forest officer.
He said on Monday that a multi-layered patrolling operation will be conducted around the river mouths including the coast guard, the marine police, the forest and fisheries departments, and other government agencies to keep an eye out for illegal activity.
