![turtlenest[1]](Green%20Governance%20Award_files/image298.jpg)
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BOMBAY NATURAL HISTROY SOCIETY CONFERS GREEN GOVERNANCE AWARD -2008 TO THE INDIAN COAST GUARD FOR HER EFFORTS IN CONSERVING OLIVE RIDLEY TURTLES OFF ORISSA COAST |
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The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) which is the largest nongovernmental organisation in the Indian subcontinent engaged in nature conservation and research has since 1883 been committed to the conservation of India’s natural wealth, protection of the environment. Identifying that the corporate, and governmental institutions are emerging as critical players for conservation activities, the BNHS in order to provide the impetus to encourage the environment protection initiatives has instituted the Green Governance Award to recognize and appreciate the organisations’ effort that are taken beyond the statutory compliance for protection and conservation of the environment. In recognizing the Indian Coast Guard’s conservation effort for the endangered ‘ Olive Ridley’ species, the BNHS conferred the Indian Coast Guard with the Green Governance Award -2008 in the Government Organisation category. |
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His Excellency Shri RajMohan Gandhi, Governor, State of West Bengal presenting the Green Governance Award to the Inspector General SPS Basra YSM, PTM, TM, Commander Coast Guard Region (East) at Raj Bhavan Kolkotta on 03 Jan 09. |
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The Olive Ridley (Lepodocheys Oliviae) has one of the most extraordinary nesting habits in the natural world. The Olive Ridley turtles travel 1000 to 10,000 km from feeding to breeding ground. It has been demonstrated that sea turtles generally return to their natal beach (the beach where they were born) to lay eggs as adults. In between the arrival of the mother and the hatchings retreat to the sea, they go through a hell of a life cycle in trying to escape from deadly fishing trawler nets and thereafter from the killer gill nets, searching for the eroded beaches to lay eggs. |
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Mass Nesting at Orissa Coast and the vulnerability of the turtles |
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Orissa is gifted by mother earth with rich variety of wildlife and natural abundance. The beaches of Orissa witness every year a natural phenomenon where endangered turtles in millions congregate for nesting. Olive Ridley Sea Turtles are known to migrate thousands of kilometers across high seas and International waters. Although the Olive Ridley nests in low densities along the entire east coast, the most important nesting beaches lie in Orissa, where the mass nesting occurs. The Olive Ridley sea turtle is well known for its annual mass nesting or arribada, when several thousand turtles migrate to the breeding ground to mate and nest simultaneously. The 480 km Orissa coast harbours three such mass nesting beaches. The Olive ridley turtles conservation in Orissa began only with the discovery of the Gahirmatha rookery in 1974. In 1981, the second mass nesting in Devi River mouth about 55 NM south of the Gahirmatha coast was discovered. In 1994, the third mass nesting area in Rushikulya river mouth, 162 NM south of Gahirmatha coast was also discovered. A significant proportion of world’s Olive Ridley population that migrate every winter to the Indian coastal waters nest at these three rookeries.
The Coast Guard due to its mandated charter for protection and conservation of marine environment in the maritime zones of India supports many programmes initiated by organisations for the coral reef conservation, conservation of endangered marine species, conservation of mangroves, and for integrated coastal zone management. Protecting endangered species under the wildlife rules is the responsibility of the Ministry of Environment and Forests which seeks the support of Coast Guard as most of the enforcement agencies for wildlife protection namely the wildlife warden do not have the necessary expertise and the facilities to monitor and take measures for protection in the offshore areas, hence in most of the cases, the assistance of Coast Guard was sought be it for protection for Dugongs, Whale Sharks, Sea Cucumber, Olive Ridley Turtles, Giant Clams and other species which have been identified by the MoEF for special protection under the flagship programmes. The Coast Guard however during the surveillance mission found that the Olive Ridley’s are becoming poor victims to unscientific and indiscriminate fishing methods and devised plans and policies along with the Central and State Government authorities to protect the Olive Ridley turtles as an institutionalized programme.
Besides the operational deployment of assets, the Coast Guard also undertakes the Community Interaction Programme wherein the local communities are provided the necessary information of the importance of conserving the turtles and also the safer fishing practices near the rookeries |
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Indiscriminate Fishing Methods |
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Dedicated efforts by the Indian Coast Guard in educating the fishing community and concurrently apprehending the violators are yielding noticeable results. The turtle mortality rates off Orissa coast have vastly reduced. The Indian Coast Guard is pursuing their incessant efforts in protecting these marine species and live up to the motto of the service- “VYAM RAKSHAM” - WE PROTECT |
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© 2009 Indian Coast Guard, Ministry Of Defence, Government Of India |
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