Recently, Chennai was left shaken by the mass deaths of Olive Ridley turtles whose remains were strewn along its coastline. News reports say that dozens of carcasses were found in Marina Beach, as well as at sites between Neelankarai and Besant Nagar, Neelankarai and Kovalam, and Napier Bridge and Foreshore Estate. The death toll is said to have crossed 1,000 with many more bodies reportedly floating in the open sea. The cause of death has been identified as drowning. Alarmingly, Andhra Pradesh has also reported similar mass deaths of Olive Ridleys.
Olive Ridleys are a critically endangered species that swim across the Pacific Ocean to nest on our shores and lay eggs on our beaches between January and April each year. In fact, Chennai’s coastline is among the few remaining nesting sites for these turtles. The reptiles must surface frequentlyto breathe, and (though official reports are yet to be released) it is suspected that net entanglement is the cause of the mass deaths. Squid and cuttlefish fishing uses large, weighted nets, while trawler vessels use big, cone-shaped nets that target the bottom of the sea to devastating effect. It is argued that mechanised vessels and commercial fishing expeditions have the heaviest footprint in this regard. In an interaction with Mongabay India, activist Nityanand Jayaraman says, “In Tamil Nadu, they were first introduced in Kanyakumari, with the notion that the sea was inexhaustible. This practice goes against the ethos of artisanal fishermen, who traditionally take only what they need from the sea.”
The Tamil Nadu Marine Fisheries Regulation Act forbids mechanised fishing and trawling operations for up to five nautical miles from the coastline. However, reports say that this rule was flouted to a great degree this year. The New Indian Express quotes Tree Foundation founder Supraja Dharini thus – “We are getting a large number of turtle carcasses south of fishing harbours. The ocean currents are moving from north to south, similar to what is observed in Chennai. The turtles killed by trawl fishing nets between Pulicat and south AP coast are all getting washed ashore on Chennai beaches.”
The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) took suo moto cognisance of the matter and criticised the administration for being lax in its monitoring and enforcement of the rules ahead of the nesting season. The reports submitted by the Tamil Nadu Forest and Fisheries departments was also observed to be disappointing in their lack of information on disciplinary measures against offending trawlers. The NGT has reportedly sought a detailed report on compliance regarding the use of mandatory Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in trawl nets. In the meantime, the Fisheries department has swung into action – reports claim that 24 trawlers were apprehended whilst operating in prohibited zones. The forest department has also set up a command and control centre at Besant Nagar beach to monitor the situation and coordinate response in collaboration with the fisheries department, the Indian coast guard, and state coastal security. The initiative will also engage with and take the support of the fishing community, who along with volunteer activists have been enlisted to share photos or videos of offending trawlers; authorities have also warned trawlers that fuel subsidies stand to be revoked in the face of violations until the end of the nesting season. In addition, an awareness campaign aimed at trawl fishermen is also underway.
One wonders whether this is sufficient. A long-term, sustainable solution demands not only an enforcement of the rules but also a deeper understanding of the reasons why some offenders continue to disregard regulations. It is reported, for instance, that fishermen are dealing with tougher conditions in which to ply their trade – not only have costs increased but volatile climes have made it harder to travel deeper into the sea. Good catches are said to be caught closer to the shore; and mandated devices like the TED – a metal object that fits into a trawl net – are seen as measures that stunt already reducing catch. While there is little question that offending commercial fishers must be deterred by punitive action, there is perhaps a case to be made to also encourage a change of habits by exploring alternatives, be it a different method of fishing or alternate livelihoods during the season.
As for the lapse in monitoring and enforcement, the question remains as to why we so often have trouble executing our rule book. Is the problem perhaps a lack of resources? Even if that were the case, one can’t help but wonder why arrangements cannot be made for the period of the annual nesting season which follows a predictable schedule. A considerable amount of financial resources has been earmarked for projects relating to our beaches under various heads, including the much-touted Blue Flag initiative. It is hard to imagine a cause more aligned with the spirit of the project and deserving of funding than protecting the ecosystem of our beaches. Our Olive Ridleys are certainly more important than ropeways.