Indian Coast Guard has initiated efforts towards conservation of Olive Ridley turtles, whose nesting season in the eastern coast is in its peak, by rescuing those caught in fishing nets.
During their patrol along the coast, personnel on board ICG ships are looking for turtles which are in distress. “There is an advisory in permanence advising ICG personnel to aid turtles caught in fishing nets. The personnel do this while on regular patrol and the regular surveillance is not affected,” Inspector General Satya Prakash Sharma, Regional Commander (East), ICG, said.
In a recent incident, ICGS Vishwast, which was patrolling off Andhra Pradesh coast, spotted a floating net with some movement. Olive Ridley sea turtles were found entangled in the net. The personnel on board the ship lowered a boat and cut the nylon net without inflicting harm to the turtles.
ICGS Abheek on patrol off the Palk Bay sighted turtles entangled in a fishing net, which they rescued and released into the sea.
Various agencies take efforts to protect turtles and their nests, sometimes save them from dense fishing activity in the sea. “The ICG has been coordinating with other agencies like the Forest Department along Odisha coast to protect turtles. We are planning to coordinate with agencies here too,” Mr. Sharma said.
The ICG is also educating fishermen to use Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in their nets to avoid catching them while fishing.
