Coast Guard rescues three ridleys from ghost net off Andhra coast

Kolkata, Nov 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) rescued three endangered Olive Ridley turtles entangled in a ghost net off the Nizampatnam coast in Andhra Pradesh during a scheduled surveillance patrol, before releasing them safely back into the sea.

The crew of ICG's Rani Rashmoni spotted the trapped turtles adrift in marine debris and deployed a Gemini inflatable boat to reach them. Coast Guard personnel carefully cut through the abandoned net to free the turtles, which were believed to be travelling toward their primary nesting sites along the Odisha coastline.

"Through these rescues, ICG reaffirms its commitment to protecting the ocean and the marine ecosystem," the maritime force stated in an official release.

Every year, the Coast Guard executes a specialised marine protection initiative known as Operation Olivia to safeguard hundreds of thousands of turtles arriving at mass nesting grounds across eastern coastal waters. The nesting cycle along the Odisha coast begins annually between November and December, extending through April and May, with mass nesting typically observed between late January and early February.

Conservation efforts for the species gained momentum following the discovery and international recognition of the Gahirmatha rookery near the mouth of the Brahmani-Baitarani (Dhamra) River in 1974. Subsequent mass nesting sites were identified at the Devi River mouth in 1981 and at the Rushikulya River mouth in 1994.

During the breeding season, female Olive Ridleys select narrow estuarine beaches and bays to lay between 100 and 140 eggs per clutch. However, the species faces severe survival threats from unregulated coastal development, tourist exploitation, illegal egg harvesting, and marine poaching for meat, shells, and leather.

The most catastrophic threat remains accidental mortality caused by mechanised fishing trawlers, gill nets, and trawl nets. Thousands of adult turtles have historically succumbed to drowning after becoming trapped in commercial fishing gear operating around nesting corridors during mating periods.

All five sea turtle species found in Indian waters, including the Olive Ridley, are granted strict statutory protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as well as Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

To mitigate threats throughout the six-month nesting cycle, the Indian Coast Guard enforces seasonal fishing bans near designated rookeries, conducts net inspections on commercial vessels, and leads regional environmental awareness drives.

Source: IANS