Ghost Nets Threaten Olive Ridley Turtle Arrivals Along Vizag Coast
Visakhapatnam: A dead Olive Ridley sea turtle on Mukkam beach in Bhogapuram mandal has highlighted the growing concern among local fishermen and environmentalists about the safety of these turtles.
Fisherman Pangi Amar says tens of Olive Ridley turtles have died till now this month. He and his fellow fishermen say sea turtles are dying due to untreated pharmaceutical waste and pollutants from various industries. When Deccan Chronicle contacted Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board chief engineer, P.V. Mukunda Rao, he stated, "We are constantly checking whether the waste coming from industries is being treated and discharged into the sea. We are holding discussions with NGOs and the National Institute of Oceanography. We have learnt that Olive Ridley sea turtles are dying due to hits by mechanised boats and getting trapped in ghost nets.”
District forest officer S. Venkateswara acknowledged the issue stating, “Problems are indeed being caused by mechanised boats and ghost nets. However, since these are directly related to fishermen's livelihood, we cannot take direct action. That is why we are organising large-scale awareness campaigns. We are making great efforts to increase the number of Olive Ridley hatcheries all along the seashore."
However, environmentalists are dissatisfied. They say the dead Olive Ridley washing up ashore on Mukkam Beach indicates more action is necessary. They are advocating the elimination of fishing net subsidies, which would help reduce the number of ghost fishing nets. Otherwise, fishermen would not abandon their entangled nets in the ocean, making them ghost nets. These pose a grave threat to biodiversity. Fishermen are often unwilling to retrieve their entangled nets from the sea due to the associated costs.
Environmentalists underscore the critical need for comprehensive strategies to safeguard Olive Ridley sea turtles to ensure the long-term sustainability of their population.
