Illegal trawling within five-km of the coastline, indiscriminate infrastructure development and marine pollution could be the reasons for the tragedy. However, authorities are yet to pinpoint the exact cause of the devastating surge in olive ridley deaths.
Published Feb 16, 2025 | 7:27 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 16, 2025 | 7:27 PM
Fishermen, conservationists, and activists came together to discuss the olive ridley deaths.
Synopsis: Thousands of carcasses of the ‘vulnerable’ olive ridley turtles washing ashore along the Tamil Nadu coast have caused a major concern. It also calls for a broader perspective and holistic approach to marine conservation.
A concerning surge in olive ridley sea turtle deaths along the Tamil Nadu coast brought fishermen, conservationists, and activists together to discuss the cause and mitigation methods.
Thousands of dead olive ridley turtles were washed ashore, raising concerns over ecological degradation, government policies, and illegal trawling practices. Fishermen said thousands of carcasses were still floating in the sea.
Veteran hook-and-line fisher and self-taught “fisher scientist” S Palayam, who attended the discussion on Saturday, 15 February, shared his findings gathered through observations on winds, currents, and fishing conditions since 2018.
Palayam linked the recent spike in turtle deaths to environmental changes, including plastic pollution, along the coast and river mouths. He attributed them to human activities.
K Bharathi of Neithal Makkal Katchi criticised the government’s approach and accused officials of blaming fishermen for turtle fatalities while failing to address broader ecological concerns.
He expressed concerns that initiatives like Blue Flag beaches, aimed at improving hygiene and safety, could lead to commercialisation, besides damaging marine ecosystems.
Olive ridley turtles are listed as ‘Vulnerable’ in IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species. (Wikimedia Commons).
Bharathi also warned that infrastructure projects, such as the loop road, desalination plants, and offshore oil structures, could exacerbate ecological harm.
Dr Supraja Dharshini of the Tree Foundation, who has been involved in sea turtle conservation since 2002, emphasised the role of trawling in turtle deaths.
She pointed to illegal trawling operations within the five-nautical-mile limit as a major cause.
Tree Foundation has trained fishermen to minimise harm to marine life and documented cases of fishers releasing entangled turtles back into the sea. She presented video evidence showing how trawlers operate and handle captured turtles.
The mass death of olive ridleys grabbed international attention as well with The Guardian, republishing a Mongabay article that said, “An initial necropsy of one carcass revealed lung lesions; many dead turtles had bulging eyes. Both observations indicate the turtles are likely to have died from suffocation and drowning.”
Arun Venkataraman, a member of the Students’ Sea Turtle Conservation Network (SSTCN), called for a broader perspective, arguing that the focus should be on systemic ecological decline rather than isolating the issue to one species.
He cautioned against a simplistic blame game, stating that the olive ridleys represented just one percent of surviving marine species after large-scale extinctions. He called for a holistic approach to marine conservation.
Palayam added that traditional fishermen revered olive ridley turtles as “Kutty Amma Sami,” emphasising their cultural and ecological significance.
The Chennai Climate Action Group, Reach the Unreached, Save Chennai Beaches Campaign, and Zenith Learning Centre organised the discussion.
Olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) are listed as ‘vulnerable’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Red List of Threatened Species. Second-smallest of all sea turtles, olive ridleys often cover thousands of kilometres between feeding and breeding grounds.
Olive ridleys typically arrive near the Tamil Nadu coast around September/October to breed. They play a significant role in maintaining the marine ecosystem’s equilibrium by feeding on invertebrates and crustaceans.
It may be recalled that on 25 April 2022, the Tamil Nadu government announced in the Assembly the establishment of a Turtle Conservation and Rehabilitation Centre at Guindy in Chennai at a cost of ₹6.30 crore to boost turtle conservation efforts.
Following the recent mass deaths of the reptile, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department has decided to form a Marine Elite Force to protect olive ridleys. The Fisheries Department withdrew subsidies for 100 Chennai-based fishermen for violating a ban on fishing within five nautical miles of the coastline.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
