Panel suggest measures for endangered turtles

The panel had been appointed by the Union Agriculture Ministry following the US ban on import of shrimps from countries not using TEDs in shrimp trawlers. Following the ban, exporters have to obtain a certificate from the Marine Products’ Export Development Authority (MPEDA) stating that the fish are being caught by nets attached with TEDs.

The panel was asked to study the distribution of sea turtle species in Indian waters, the incidental catch of turtles by trawlers, mortality rate of the species due to factors others than fishing, the loss of catch due to the use of TEDs, and measures to conserve the turtles.

The committee identified littoral drifts which cause beach erosion; plantation of secondary forests in areas close to the high tide line; and construction of jetties, harbours and tourist complexes without adequate environment impact assessment as major reasons for the degradation of the turtle habitats.

So, the panel suggested that no plantations be made in the turtle nesting areas and TEDs be made mandatory along the entire Orissa coast, as well as Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatanam and East Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh from November to April. In Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry’s nesting areas and Kerala’s Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts, it said, TEDs should be must during December-April.

Realising that fishermen would protest at the reduced fish yield, the panel has suggested suitable changes in the TED structure to cut escape rate of fish.

Of the seven species of marine turtles, five are found in the Indian coastal waters, including Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.