Puri: Frequent deaths of Olive Ridley turtles on the coast here has become a cause of concern for the Forest department as well as environmentalists.
According to Forest department sources, as many as 125 Olive Ridley turtles died on the district coast between November 1 and December 13, 2018. Experts have blamed illegal fishing through trawlers and mechanised boats for the deaths.
Hundreds of Olive Ridley turtles flock to the coast here to lay eggs during the nesting season. The state government has clamped restrictions on fishing through trawlers and mechanised boats within 20 km off the coast from November 1 to May 31 to facilitate the breeding process.
However, many trawlers and mechanised boats often flout the restrictions and undertake fishing activities in the no-fishing zones. As a result, many Olive Ridleys die after getting entangled in fishing nets, sources said.
A patrolling team of the Forest department recently seized a trawler from the no-fishing zone near Astarang in the district. The trawler, its nets and nine on-board fishermen were subsequently handed over to the Marine Fisheries department for further action.
Puri wildlife division assistant conservator of forests Rabindra Kumar Mahapatra said they have intensified patrolling on the coast to check illegal fishing through trawlers. “Our patrolling parties are monitoring the movement of trawlers,” he said.
According to Mahapatra, the Forest department has set up 12 onshore camps and one offshore camp in the district to check illegal fishing and ensure safety of the turtles. “Usually, a large number of Olive Ridley turtles gathers on the stretch of Devi river mouth and Keluni mouth. We are taking all possible steps to check turtle deaths,” he added.
Environmentalists, on the other hand, alleged laxity on part of the Forest department to conserve Olive Ridleys. “The toll is much more than the Forest department data. One can find carcasses of turtles on the district coast every day,” said an environmentalist.