Three forest department personnel were injured in an attack by the crew of a trawler who were illegally fishing in the prohibited seawaters of Gahirmatha sanctuary in Odisha’s Kendrapara district, a forest official said on Sunday.

Twelve forest personnel were in the patrol vessel that was attacked on Saturday, the official said. The vessel, which was partially damaged, was deployed in the area for the protection of olive ridley turtles. It was an “organised” attack, the official said, adding that the trawler allegedly chased the patrol vessel and hit it.

The forest personnel were outnumbered by the crew on the trawler and despite provocation, the forest personnel did not open fire, he said.

The forest personnel, however, managed to overpower the crew of the trawler and arrest nine of them. They were handed over to the Dhamra marine police station, the official said. The trawler had trespassed into the prohibited sanctuary corridors, contravening the provisions of Wildlife Protection Act and Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act, among others.

Fishing activity has been prohibited within a seaward radius of 20km of Gahirmatha marine sanctuary from November 1 to protect olive ridley turtles, the official said.

As turtles get entangled in fishing nets, the ban is enforced every year during their mass nesting season, he said.

So far, over 70 fishermen have been arrested and eight trawlers confiscated for violating the ban. Five high-speed boats, 13 trawlers and support boats have been deployed to check illegal fishing in the prohibited zone.

The turtles turn up in millions for mass nesting along the Odisha coast every year. Gahirmatha beach is acclaimed as the world's largest-known nesting ground of these turtles. Apart from Gahirmatha, these threatened aquatic animals turn up at Rushikulya river mouth and Devi river mouth for mass nesting.