BHUBANESWAR: Illegal operation of trawlers in the nesting season is posing a grave threat to Olive Ridley turtles, killing several of them at Devi estuary in the Astaranga area of Puri.
Sources in the Puri Wildlife Division said close to 30 turtles have already died in the last one and half months due to various trawling and other fishing activities. However, the illegal trawling operations within the restricted zone of the river mouth, where the fishing ban has been imposed for seven months, continue unabated jeopardising efforts of the state government in reviving the Devi estuary as a breeding habitat for the Olive Ridleys.
The state government has banned fishing by motorised vessels and trawlers within 20 km of the shore along Devi, Dhamra and Rushikulya river mouths from November this year to May 2023.
Accordingly, the entire coastal stretch from Devi river mouth to Arakuda has been declared a no-fishing zone. However, trawlers and motor boats are still being used for fishing in the prohibited area causing harm to the Olive Ridleys congregated at the site for mating and mass nesting.
A forest official pointed out that poor participation of Fisheries department staff in the joint patrolling to prevent trawling operations and movement of motorised vessels in the prohibited zones is affecting the protection measures.
Wildlife conservationists also alleged that apart from poor patrolling and enforcement, the failure of the Fisheries department in ensuring the use Turtle Excluder Device (TED) to avoid the entanglement of sea turtles is endangering the lives of the turtles.
Besides, they also alleged that an adequate fine is not collected, though the Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act (OMFRA) has the provision of imposing fine five times the value of the fish seized in a trawler. Puri Wildlife DFO P Ramaswamy said they are taking the help of the Forest department, marine police staff and Coast Guard for effective patrolling.
Fisheries officials have also been requested to expedite patrolling and strengthen OMFRA regulations at a higher level to safeguard the congregation of Olive Ridleys at Devi Estuary where there has been no mass nesting of Olive Ridleys after 1997. Eight trawlers have also been seized and handed over to the Fisheries department officials, he informed.