Conservation efforts of sea turtles in India: Socio-economics and the need for a comprehensive action plan

Abstract

Among the five species of sea turtles (olive ridley, green, hawksbill, leatherback and loggerhead), all species other than loggerhead nest along the Indian coast. India has many unique sea turtle populations. Olive ridleys are more abundant and unique for mass nesting along the Orissa coast. In recent years, the turtles migrating to Indian waters are on the decline. The increased human alteration of nesting beaches, erosion and incidental catch have contributed to their decline. Turtles are hunted mainly for the meat and their eggs are poached. The illegal trade for turtle meat in some places like Gulf of Mannar area is still posing a big problem for the conservationists. The recent stranding of many turtles belonging to three species due to injury/suffocation along the northern coast of Gulf of Mannar is yet another example of the plight of the turtles due to incidental catch. High mortality of olive ridleys owing to incidental catch has become a regular annual phenomenon along the Orissa coast. This is greater along the east coast, possibly due to the large scale migration of olive ridleys to the Orissa coast for mass nesting. The government departments and NGOs have taken efforts to implement the incorporation of TEDs in the trawl nets. However, the increased fishing fleet and the subsequent unpredictability in catch have made the fisher folk reluctant to use TEDs as they think they might loose a fraction of their catch due to its use. So, the need of the hour is not only the stringent enforcement of laws, but also a comprehensive action plan to alleviate the fears in the mind of fisher folk and to encourage and involve them in conservation efforts.