
CHENNAI: In the meeting of a special task force constituted to address the alarming deaths of Olive Ridley turtles during this nesting season on Monday, the State government made it clear to all stakeholders, especially the fishermen, that it would cut all the subsidies for trawl boats, if they operate without using Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs), which was made mandatory in 2017.
More than 1,000 Olive Ridley turtles have washed ashore dead in Chennai and nearby coast alone, for which the primary reason is identified to be the illegal trawling within the prohibited 5 nautical miles and lack of use of TEDs.
TNIE published a series of articles on the rising death toll. The southern bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT), which took suo motu cognisance based on one of these articles, has advanced its next scheduled hearing to Tuesday, considering the gravity of the situation.
On Monday, the task force met under the chairmanship of Chief Wildlife Warden Rakesh Kumar Dogra, in which stakeholders including officials from fisheries, coastal security group (CSG), Indian coast guard, and trawlers boat association took part.
"The message is very clear. It's a united fight to save the Olive Ridleys and the nesting season is at a critical juncture with mass migration under way. The fisheries department, which is empowered to implement the Tamil Nadu Marine Fisheries Regulation Act must put their foot down and ensure there is no trawling within 5 nautical miles and trawl nets are fitted with TEDs. The forest department, CSG and coast guard will extend all the support that is needed. It is decided that if TEDs are not used, the government subsidies will not be provided," Dogra told TNIE, after the three-hour long meeting.
The State fisheries depa rtment has been criticised for inefficiencies in enforcing the regulations due to which it was decided to empower CSG under Tamil Nadu Marine Fisheries Regulation Act and a formal proposal has already been moved in this regard, sources said.
During the meeting, M Vijesh, president, Chengai Singaravelar Visai Padagu Urimaiyalar Sangam, said they are ready to use TEDs and blamed the trawlers from Karaikal, Cuddalore and Nagapattinam with “powerful and illegal Chinese engines” operating in Chennai region for wreaking havoc. In response, fishermen were asked to share such information and coast guard was requested to intercept these vessels.
The fisheries department officials said there were 707 mechanised boats in Chennai and efforts are being made to provide TEDs to 100 of them in the initial phase. Marine Products Exports Development Authority (MPEDA) with the support of Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) have designed and built an indigenous TED, for which trial run was conducted in Odisha. However, Dogra said Chennai trawlers can't wait until these TEDs are available. "They have to fix TEDs, which are available ti stop the turtle deaths."
Trawlers were also directed to keep the transponders fitted in the boats on all the time. Since the fishermen said many transponders were not in working condition, the fisheries department was asked to look into it.