Kendrapara: Even though the Forest department’s seven-month-long fishing ban to protect Olive Ridley turtles came into force since November 1, the implementation of the restrictions is fraught with several challenges like lack of adequate patrol boats, staff crunch at marine police stations, poor communication with the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) personnel and, above all, mushrooming prawn gheries in Gahirmatha region.
Forest department offi cials said that they are prepared to ensure strict implementation of this fi shing ban in the 20-km area of Gahirmatha, but conservationists and environmentalists are sceptical about the outcome as they highlighted several loopholes in enforcement of Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972 (Schedule I).
Lack of adequate patrol boats, staff shortage at marine police stations, poor communication with the ICG personnel, and mushrooming prawn gheries (shrimp farms) violating restrictions have raised serious doubts over the implementation of the ban and safety of the rare marine species.
Environmentalists apprehend that the shrinking nesting ground due to coastal erosion and frequent missile testing on nearby Wheeler Island will affect the nesting and breeding of Olive Ridleys. Locals like Ganesh Chandra Samal, Jagannath Das, Dolagobind Jena, environmentalists Hemanta Kumar Rout and Ashok Kumar Swain have noted that 4-5 lakh turtles visit this area every year, which takes the nature lovers and wildlife by surprise. The rare Olive Ridley turtles have been placed in the Red Data Book of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) which has mentioned that only one out of 1,000 hatchlings grow into a fully developed adult. This has raised concerns over the growth of Olive Ridley population. Gahirmatha, spread over 1,435 sqkm, has been designated as a separate national park area from Bhitarkanika since 1997. Out of the total area of the marine sanctuary, only 27 sqkm is land mass.
However, erosion has affected land areas like Madali, Babubali, and Ekakula. Moreover, Agarnashi Island has been fully gobbled up by the sea. Meanwhile, experts have opined that massive mangrove plantation can check coastal erosion to a great extent. Absence of proper nesting sites and death of the turtles at regular intervals have posed grave threats to the conservation efforts. Moreover, the Forest department lacks proper boats to chase and nab the illegally operating fi shing trawlers which pose threats to the turtles. Adding to the problem, Marine police stations at Tantiapal, Kharinasi and Jambu are grappling with staff crunch which makes the efforts ineffective.
Also Read: Thousands offer obeisance during Chhath celebration
These apart, prawn gherries discharging chemicals into the sea also poses threats to this marine creature. The state government has taken up a slew of measures for protection of Olive Ridley turtles. The marine species has been the mascot during several events and eco-tourism launched by the state government. When contacted, Rajnagar Divisional Forest Offi cer (DFO) Sudarshan Gopinath Yadav said that the department has been holding camps on the coastlines and deploying armed personnel for the safety of the turtles. Patrolling has been intensifi ed, he added. However, despite the extensive measures for turtle protection, illegal entry of trawlers and lack of patrol boats stand as a stumbling block on the way of turtle protection. Notably, in 2023, more than 70 boats and trawlers were seized for illegally operating in restricted zones, while over 300 cases were filed during the period.
