
CHENNAI: In the midst of an alarmingly high number of Olive Ridley turtles beaching in and around Chennai this nesting season, four trawl boats were spotted 2-3km off the shore at Thiruvanmiyur beach at 3.30 pm on Wednesday.
Trawlers were also spotted off the shores of Neelankarai and Kalpakkam. The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which has taken suo motu cognisance of the issue based on a TNIE report, warned that it will order a complete ban on trawling during nesting season if the fishing regulations are not complied with.
The Tamil Nadu Marine Fisheries Regulation Act, 1983, prohibits fishing by mechanised vessels within five nautical miles of identified nesting and breeding sites during nesting season. In 2017, the state fisheries department submitted a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) before the Madras High Court that reiterated the ban on trawlers, motorised country crafts and those using mechanised fishing techniques within five nautical miles from the coast during nesting and breeding season of sea turtles — January to April — in coastal areas of Chennai, Kancheepuram, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Nagapattinam, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari districts.
However, in reality, the rules are frequently violated. State government pleader D Shanmuganathan told the NGT bench that draft replies from the forest and fisheries departments indicate the turtles died due to trawling, but sought more time to submit a report.
Referring to a TNIE article, the bench, comprising Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member K Satyagopal, said the fisheries department has to answer why it did not strictly enforce the regulations and the mandatory use of Turtle Excluder Devices. “If this is the case, we will ban trawling during nesting season,” the bench warned and posted the case for January 31.
S Aparanjeetha, a resident of Thiruvanmiyur, said she spotted 4-5 trawler boats operating close to the shore and added this has been a regular sighting for the past two weeks.
K Bharathi, president of the South Indian Fishermen Welfare Association, told TNIE that it is true that trawlers are violating the rules and urged the state government to take a firm stance on bottom trawling, considering the impact on the nesting season this year. He said that although bottom trawling is not a sustainable practice, the government continues to provide diesel subsidies to these vessels despite their violations.
According to sources, Olive Ridley turtles have been congregating closer to the shores where there is good catch of shrimp and fish. The trawlers are also chasing catch near the shore as the deep sea has been rough due to the northeast monsoon, they added.