Chennai witnessed an unprecedented environmental disaster this year, as more than 1,000 dead Olive Ridley turtles washed ashore in January. The mass mortality event has put the Forest and Fisheries Departments, along with voluntary organisations, on high alert, prompting collaborative efforts to strengthen Olive Ridley turtle conservation.
The Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 2020, which mandates mechanised trawlers to fish at least five kilometres from the shore, was enforced more strictly from late January. Fishermen were educated on the dangers of ghost nets and urged to use Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) to prevent accidental turtle entanglement.
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While the disaster has placed fishermen in a negative light, the reality is far more complex. To understand the root causes and the measures being taken to prevent such incidents in the future, we spoke to fisherfolk, volunteers and forest department officials.
Manish Meena, the Chief Wildlife Warden of Tamil Nadu, stated that a task force comprising officials from the Fisheries Department, Coast Guard, and other nodal agencies — established several years ago and reactivated this year to address the crisis — is regularly taking stringent measures.
In this video story, we present various perspectives of stakeholders and critically examine the necessary actions that could have prevented the deaths of Olive Ridley turtles.