Bhubaneswar: Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena said the State Government will be providing necessary support to protect turtles and their eggs.
Shri Jena while presiding over a meeting of the high-powered committee on protection and conservation of Olive Ridley Sea Turtles during 2023-24 held here on 10 December stressed on the need to assign the responsibility of research to the institutions or institutions that are innovating in the field of good research.
The meeting was attended by Principal Conservator of Forests and Chief Conservator of Forests Devidutta Biswal, PCCF (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden Sushant Nanda, Coast Guard, DIG, Paradip Y.K. Singh, Special Secretary, Home Santosh Bala, Special Secretary, Fisheries and Livestock Department, Director, ITR and other members of the committee.
The meeting, convened by Principal Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and he Chief Wildlife Warden Susanta Nanda at Lok Seva Bhawan.
PCCF Wildlife Shri Nanda first informed in details about the action taken on the decision of the meeting held in November 2022 and the steps taken in the year 2022-23.
This year, over 5.12 lakh turtles laid eggs off the Gahirmatha coast from 9 to 13 March, 2023, and around 6.37 lakh turtles at Rushikulya between 23 February and 2 March. After the mass egg donation, the eggs were cordoned off for protection and a strict vigil was kept.
The seasonal work for protection and conservation of olive ridley turtles has already begun since November 1, 2023, and the central monitoring unit is functioning at the state wildlife headquarters.
Olive Ridley turtles are playing an important role from the tourism point of view of our state. Every year, lakhs of olive ridley turtles come to the banks of the River Gahirmatha Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhitarkanika Sanctuary, Devi River Mouth, Balukhand Wildlife Sanctuary, Rishikulya Wildlife Sanctuary in Odisha to lay eggs .
Like last year, 66 patrolling camps (61 onshore and five offshore) will function with VHF, mobile phones and other facilities. Jointpatrolling of the sea will be done in collaboration with the Forest Department, Indian Coast Guard, Fisheries Department and Marine Police.
Funds have been allocated to the coastal forest division concerned for the protection and conservation of olive ridley sea turtles.
On 10 November, 2023, a state-level meeting was held with local NGOs and community organisations. Necessary instructions have been given to the field officials in this regard.
Last season, 44 trawlers, three gill netters, nine mechanised boats were seized and 384 people were arrested. To protect the seized fishing vessels, berthing sites were opened at Barunai, Gupti, Sasanpeta and Krishnapriyapur in Rajnagar Hental forest division.
High-speed boats have been deployed in Rajnagar Wildlife, Bhadrak Wildlife and Berhampur (T) Division for protection and conservation of Olive Ridley sea turtles. Babubali, Agarnasi, New Devi Nasi Island, Puranabandha, etc. will be the sea traffic patrol bases.
District Collectors and SPs of coastal districts have been directed to provide necessary assistance to the concerned DFO for the protection of olive ridley sea turtles like last year.
Regular coordination meetings will be held by all coastal DFOs with defence research centre authorities, various institutions along the coast, fisheries department officials, port authorities, coast guard and district collectors and superintendents of police of coastal districts to conduct joint sea patrolling and light control.
The Defence Research Authority (DRDO) has been requested to ensure that missile tests are stopped during mass ovulation. From November 1 to May 31 (both days) every year, the Department of Fisheries and Livestock has issued a simultaneous notification prohibiting fishing by motorised vessels, trawlers and mechanised fishing techniques within 20 kilometres in the vicinity of dhamra, devi and rishikulya rivers off the Odisha coast.
The restrictions have continued throughout the year in the Gahirmatha forest area. It was decided in the meeting that the DFOs should hold regular awareness meetings with local fishermen and other stakeholders in this regard.
As per the action, which began in November 2023, seven APR section forces will be deployed under the control of the coastal forests by May 2024. Oneeach will be deployed in Bhadrak, Puri and Berhampur divisions and one each in Rajnagar division. The home department has been requested to issue instructions to Talchua and Dhamra marine police stations to provide all assistance.
Apart from gahirmatha wildlife sanctuary, the fisheries department will be able to patrol independently in the prohibited areas along with joint patrolling with the forest department. They can register cases under OMFRA for illegal fishing in that prohibited area . The increase in compensation amount can be expedited with the provision of enhanced penalty. Fisheries and Livestock Department has advised to use the Fisher Friend Mobile Application (FFMA) developed by the Fisheries and Livestock Department to alert fishermen about “no-fishing zones”.
Patrolling is being intensified through patrolling vessels to prevent illegal entry of fishing boats into Gahirmatha Marine Wildlife Sanctuary. Space will be arranged at Outer Wheeler Island (NASI-II) for seasonal camps by forest officials to inspect the beaches. Dhamra and Paradip port authorities have been directed to provide one seaship each to the DFO of mangrove forest division (wildlife) of Rajnagar for sea patrolling. Similarly, gopalpur port authorities have been requested to provide a sea-bound vessel to the DFO of Berhampur division for sea patrolling.
Eminent Biologist and Member of the committee Dr. Priyamvada Mohanty Hejmadi attended the meeting and discussed the proposal of Olive Ridley to set up a research institute related to it from the point of view of protection, conservation and tourism of turtles.