Admitting that this figure would itself be on par with turtle mortalities in the previous years, Sanjiv Gopal of Greenpeace said, “Turtle mortalities are sky-rocketing. At the very least, as a first step, the government shoud commit to keeping the total casualties this year on par with those in previous years. This would require intensive patrolling to keep mechanised fishing out of turtle congregation areas. The government then needs to set progressively depreciating mortality reduction targets for the coming turtle seasons.”
Olive Ridley Turtles throng Orissa’s coastline between November and May every year, with thousands killed each year by illegal fishing. Previously, state government officials had cited a lack of funds as the reason for their inability to protect the species. In 2007, the state government asked for and received from the Centre a sum of Rs. 2 crores for turtle protection. The funds were disbursed in November 2007. This amount was in line with a Greenpeace estimate of Rs. 2.02 crores needed for improved patrolling to protect turtles (2). Further, the Fisheries Department has also acquired two patrol vessels to enforce the no-trawling zones and protect both turtles and traditional fishermen.
“Even though the resources are now available, it is ironic that the turtle toll until January 31 is almost 3000 in the Paradip–Chilika stretch, a dramatic 76% increase from the average of the previous four turtle seasons. While reducing mortality to zero might not be practical, it is high time the Government of Orissa demonstrates its commitment to protecting its turtles, by setting itself, progressively depreciating annual turtle mortality reduction targets. It must start with what is left of this turtle season. This benchmark would enable the Government’s turtle protection efforts to be evaluated in an objective manner” said Sanjiv Gopal, Oceans Campaigner, Greenpeace India.
Illegal fishing and especially trawling has resulted in the death of over 100,000 turtles over the last decade. Even as illegal fishing in the Devi area continues unabated, the situation in the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary remains unknown, with no independent verification of official figures possible. Further, the government is not open to joint efforts on monitoring the mortality of turtles in collaboration with conservation groups and NGOs, as this would reveal shocking levels of turtle casualties on the Orissa coast. While the Government has maintained that annual mortalities from the last three seasons has not exceeded 4000, estimates from several independent agencies place this at a range above 10,000 for every season.
“While funds for turtle protection have now been allocated, Greenpeace remains committed to also resolving the concerns of traditional fishermen impacted by conservation measures, either through compensation of income lost or by the initiation of alternative income generation approaches. Improved patrolling and alternative income generation are two sides of the same coin, and both are critical to resolve the unnecessary and recurring turtle-fisher crisis” he further added.
For further information please visit www.greenpeaceindia.org or contact
Saumya Tripathi, Greenpeace Communications, +91-93438 62212, stripath@in.greenpeace.org
Sanjiv Gopal, Oceans Campaigner, +91-98455 35416, sgopal@dialb.greenpeace.org
Notes
1. This would be equal to not more than 3,760 mortalities until the end of April 2008. Please refer to Annexure I for the details
2. Please refer to http://www.greenpeace.org/india/press/reports/orissa-turtle-package for the detailed financial proposal.
Annexure I
In March 2007, Greenpeace developed a financial estimate of funds required to solve the turtle-fishermen crisis in the state. The estimate specified an allocation of Rs. 2.02 Crores to the Department of Forests (Wildlife), for improved patrolling to protect turtles. This was informed by the fact that the Department of Forests and Wildlife lacked the appropriate resources to ensure effective patrolling. In November 2007, the Government of Orissa, through the centre, allocated a sum of Rs. 2 Crores for improved marine patrolling to protect the Olive Ridley Turtles.
Greenpeace has been monitoring the situation in the current turtle season (2007-2008), from November 2007, to ensure that the resources made available to the Department of Forests and Wildlife are utilized appropriately and effectively. From evidence gathered until January 2008, it is clear that inspite of the required resources being made available, the Government of Orissa is once again failing in it’s responsibility to protect the turtles that throng Orissa’s coastal waters, every year from November to May.
The turtle death toll, along the Paradip to Chilika coast, has already crossed 3000 turtles (until January 31, 2008). Illegal fishing in the Devi area, especially trawling, continues unabated. The situation in the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary remains unknown, with no independent verification of official figures possible.
Ironically, after the resources have been made available for patrolling, the situation has gone from bad to worse. The following graph illustrates the current situation.
The turtle mortalities until the end of January 2008, has increased by a dramatic 76% or 1281, to a current mortality figure of 2970, as compared to the average mortality figure of 1689 from the previous four turtle seasons (2003-2004 to 2006-2007 season).
On the basis of previous annual records and the trend,
* The mortality figure for 2007-2008 has been calculated by including the average mortality figure from February to April from the previous four turtle seasons (2003-2004 to 2006-2007)
On the basis of the average mortality trends from February to April, the annual mortality for 2007-2008 is expected to be 4550 at the very least; an increase by 1281 or 39%, compared to the average mortality figure of 3269 over the previous four turtle seasons (2003-2004 to 2006-2007).
As a first step, to demonstrate commitment and accountability, towards resources which have been made available to ensure effective patrolling and reduction in the mortalities of turtles from mechanised fisheries and especially trawling, Greenpeace is calling the Government of Orissa and the Department of Forests and Wildlife in particular
• To put in place mechanisms, which would include regular marine patrolling, to ensure that the current rate of mortalities in the Devi region, are reduced.
• By way of an objective evaluation of these efforts, this would imply that the mortalities of Olive Ridley turtles in the devi region does not exceed 3760 for the current season, until April 2008, the current figure until January 2008 being 2970.
• This would mean that the mortality for February, March and April 2008 does not exceed 790 or a drop in mortality by 21%.
As part of it’s ongoing campaign to protect the Olive Ridley Turtles, and the interests of traditional fisher communities, Greenpeace will continue to monitor the situation and await to see how the Government of Orissa responds to this challenge positively, before taking any further action.
Olive Ridley Turtles throng Orissa’s coastline between November and May every year, with thousands killed each year by illegal fishing. Previously, state government officials had cited a lack of funds as the reason for their inability to protect the species. In 2007, the state government asked for and received from the Centre a sum of Rs. 2 crores for turtle protection. The funds were disbursed in November 2007. This amount was in line with a Greenpeace estimate of Rs. 2.02 crores needed for improved patrolling to protect turtles (2). Further, the Fisheries Department has also acquired two patrol vessels to enforce the no-trawling zones and protect both turtles and traditional fishermen.
“Even though the resources are now available, it is ironic that the turtle toll until January 31 is almost 3000 in the Paradip–Chilika stretch, a dramatic 76% increase from the average of the previous four turtle seasons. While reducing mortality to zero might not be practical, it is high time the Government of Orissa demonstrates its commitment to protecting its turtles, by setting itself, progressively depreciating annual turtle mortality reduction targets. It must start with what is left of this turtle season. This benchmark would enable the Government’s turtle protection efforts to be evaluated in an objective manner” said Sanjiv Gopal, Oceans Campaigner, Greenpeace India.
Illegal fishing and especially trawling has resulted in the death of over 100,000 turtles over the last decade. Even as illegal fishing in the Devi area continues unabated, the situation in the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary remains unknown, with no independent verification of official figures possible. Further, the government is not open to joint efforts on monitoring the mortality of turtles in collaboration with conservation groups and NGOs, as this would reveal shocking levels of turtle casualties on the Orissa coast. While the Government has maintained that annual mortalities from the last three seasons has not exceeded 4000, estimates from several independent agencies place this at a range above 10,000 for every season.
“While funds for turtle protection have now been allocated, Greenpeace remains committed to also resolving the concerns of traditional fishermen impacted by conservation measures, either through compensation of income lost or by the initiation of alternative income generation approaches. Improved patrolling and alternative income generation are two sides of the same coin, and both are critical to resolve the unnecessary and recurring turtle-fisher crisis” he further added.
For further information please visit www.greenpeaceindia.org or contact
Saumya Tripathi, Greenpeace Communications, +91-93438 62212, stripath@in.greenpeace.org
Sanjiv Gopal, Oceans Campaigner, +91-98455 35416, sgopal@dialb.greenpeace.org
Notes
1. This would be equal to not more than 3,760 mortalities until the end of April 2008. Please refer to Annexure I for the details
2. Please refer to http://www.greenpeace.org/india/press/reports/orissa-turtle-package for the detailed financial proposal.
Annexure I
In March 2007, Greenpeace developed a financial estimate of funds required to solve the turtle-fishermen crisis in the state. The estimate specified an allocation of Rs. 2.02 Crores to the Department of Forests (Wildlife), for improved patrolling to protect turtles. This was informed by the fact that the Department of Forests and Wildlife lacked the appropriate resources to ensure effective patrolling. In November 2007, the Government of Orissa, through the centre, allocated a sum of Rs. 2 Crores for improved marine patrolling to protect the Olive Ridley Turtles.
Greenpeace has been monitoring the situation in the current turtle season (2007-2008), from November 2007, to ensure that the resources made available to the Department of Forests and Wildlife are utilized appropriately and effectively. From evidence gathered until January 2008, it is clear that inspite of the required resources being made available, the Government of Orissa is once again failing in it’s responsibility to protect the turtles that throng Orissa’s coastal waters, every year from November to May.
The turtle death toll, along the Paradip to Chilika coast, has already crossed 3000 turtles (until January 31, 2008). Illegal fishing in the Devi area, especially trawling, continues unabated. The situation in the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary remains unknown, with no independent verification of official figures possible.
Ironically, after the resources have been made available for patrolling, the situation has gone from bad to worse. The following graph illustrates the current situation.
The turtle mortalities until the end of January 2008, has increased by a dramatic 76% or 1281, to a current mortality figure of 2970, as compared to the average mortality figure of 1689 from the previous four turtle seasons (2003-2004 to 2006-2007 season).
On the basis of previous annual records and the trend,
* The mortality figure for 2007-2008 has been calculated by including the average mortality figure from February to April from the previous four turtle seasons (2003-2004 to 2006-2007)
On the basis of the average mortality trends from February to April, the annual mortality for 2007-2008 is expected to be 4550 at the very least; an increase by 1281 or 39%, compared to the average mortality figure of 3269 over the previous four turtle seasons (2003-2004 to 2006-2007).
As a first step, to demonstrate commitment and accountability, towards resources which have been made available to ensure effective patrolling and reduction in the mortalities of turtles from mechanised fisheries and especially trawling, Greenpeace is calling the Government of Orissa and the Department of Forests and Wildlife in particular
• To put in place mechanisms, which would include regular marine patrolling, to ensure that the current rate of mortalities in the Devi region, are reduced.
• By way of an objective evaluation of these efforts, this would imply that the mortalities of Olive Ridley turtles in the devi region does not exceed 3760 for the current season, until April 2008, the current figure until January 2008 being 2970.
• This would mean that the mortality for February, March and April 2008 does not exceed 790 or a drop in mortality by 21%.
As part of it’s ongoing campaign to protect the Olive Ridley Turtles, and the interests of traditional fisher communities, Greenpeace will continue to monitor the situation and await to see how the Government of Orissa responds to this challenge positively, before taking any further action.
