Puri: Environmentalists and locals of Astaranga in Puri district raised alarms as trawlers continue to ply on the Devi river mouth despite the enforcement of fishing ban to provide a safe passage for the endangered Olive Ridley turtles to lay their eggs.
Devi river mouth happens to be one of the three globally significant mass nesting sites for Olive Ridley sea turtles in Odisha, along with Gahirmatha and Rushikulya.
Highlighting the highly inadequate preparedness on the ground, the locals alleged that the entire control of the designated protected zone appears to be under unlawful fishing activity. Every single day matters, as each day has the potential to disturb and collapse the outcomes achieved in earlier seasons. Even one day of rampant fishing can destroy the collective conservation effort by disrupting, injuring, or displacing turtles that depend on this area for breeding, they alleged.
It is pertinent to mention here that, as per the Supreme Court’s 2003 interim directives, the 20 km stretch near Devi river mouth serves as the crucial base zone for 45–60 days, where thousands of Olive Ridley turtles congregate and mate before nesting.
They further alleged, while the Divisional Forest Officer, Puri, and frontline forest staff have extended their cooperation, overall inter-departmental preparedness remains lacklustre. Coordination meetings take place, but ground actions are minimal.
The Devi river mouth is not only an ecological heritage site but also a critical indicator of Odisha’s marine governance capacity. A lack of early preparedness directly translates into mass mortality, failed nesting, and international concern over Odisha’s conservation commitments.
Notably, the Odisha government has imposed a seven-month fishing ban along its coast from November 1. The decision has been made to ensure the safe breeding and nesting of the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles. The seven-month-long ban on marine fishing along Odisha’s coast will remain effective till May 31.
However, fishermen can venture into the deep sea or beyond 20 km from the coastline for fishing. While mechanised boats or trawlers are strictly prohibited, traditional fishermen using non-mechanised boats with a length of less than 8.5 metres are allowed limited fishing outside the turtle protection zones.
