Wildlife and environmental activists are worried over the setting up of prawn hatcheries near Rushikulya rookery in Ganjam district of Odisha, a major nesting site of endangered Olive Ridley turtles.
According to Ravindranath Sahu of Rushikulya Sea Turtle Protection Committee (RSTPC), construction work of one such hatchery is nearing completion near Kantiagada village. According to locals, some more private companies have proposed establishment of prawn hatcheries on this coast near the rookery. Most of them are proposed within 500 metres of the coast.
In 1998, a similar attempt had been made for establishment of a prawn hatchery near Gokharkuda village. However, due to opposition from wildlife and environmental activists, the hatchery had been closed. Scientist of Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Bivash Pandav, who had played a major role in conservation of this Olive Ridley nesting site said it is an irony that prawn hatcheries are again being allowed to be established in this most preferred nesting area of Olive Ridley turtles of the eastern coast. Coordinator of Operation Kachhap, an organisation involved in protection of Olive Ridley turtles, Biswajit Mohanty said their organisation has decided to make a detailed on-the-spot examination of the hatcheries that are coming up in the area.
Mr. Pandav said since over two decades, Rushikulya rookery coast continues to attract endangered Olive Ridley turtles to nest, yet the State government has not yet come up with a proper coastal zone management plan for this coastline due to which such hatcheries are coming up in the area.
This scientist of the WII is of the opinion that light pollution caused by the prawn hatcheries would have an adverse effect on the hatching of Olive Ridley eggs. Increased human activity near the coastline due to the prawn hatcheries would also have impact on the mother turtles who come to this coast to nest. ‘The mother turtles may start to avoid this coast for nesting after a few years,” he added.
Environmental activists also feel these prawn hatcheries would cause pollution. They would draw saline water from sea and would release the used saline water into the sea or to the Palur canal that connects Chilika lake with sea. The used water from prawn hatcheries would contain ample amount of antibiotics and other chemicals which would affect the fish population and may also affect the habitat of Olive Ridleys that stay in sea near this coast for mating before their nesting season. Local fishermen are also worried about these prawn hatcheries as they would affect their fish catch in the long run, said Mr Sahu.
