TED trials planned after 123 turtles die during the nesting season

Chennai:

The nesting season of Olive Ridley Turtles began on a bad note with
123 of them found dead along the beaches sparking sea turtle
conservationists on Wednesday to urge mechanized boat owners
association to take steps to regulate their fishing practices by using
Turtle Excluder Device.

During a meeting organized by fisheries department, Tree Foundation
and the Coastal Security group for Mechanised Boat Owners Association
in Kasimedu Fishing Harbor, turtle conservationist and chairperson of
TREE foundation Supraja Dharini said the trial of TED will be
conducted for trawl boat owners and regular workers on January 20.

Supraja said that a scientist from Central Institute of Fisheries
Technology will display an indigenously designed TED accompanied by a
fisherman and technician who have fabricated a fishing Net and TED for
demonstartion.

Two boats would be used for the trial of TED. One boat will be without
TED and another with TED and they will fish along the same area in
order to estimate the catch in both boats, she said.

Meanwhile, fisheries department has asked the fishermen to follow nthe
Marine Fisheries Regulation act and fish beyond 5km from shire and not
to fish in regions offshore to estuaries.

Supraja said that most sea turtles that washed ashore have displayed
common symptoms of asphyxiation through drowning in fishing gear.

“This include bulgy eyes, swollen neck and visible internal
haemorrhaging on the underside (plastron) of the turtle,” she said.

The sea turtles are flagship species and losing them will pave the way
for loss of many fish species that are dependent on sea turtles,
Supraja said.