“After spending much time removing, marking and counting the dead turtles, a total of 824 deaths were recorded. For our Sea Turtle Protection Force members and volunteers, this was devastating news. Working tirelessly from January to May every year to safeguard endangered nesting turtles, this was a nightmare unfolding in front of their eyes, the largest ever mass stranding of endangered turtles along our coast on a single day. All the turtles had died due to drowning in about 40 trawl mechanised boats that were illegally fishing within 2 kms from the shore violating the Marine Fisheries Regulation Act. Trawl mechanised boats should conduct fishing beyond 8 km from the shore,” said a statement from TREE Foundation.
TREE Foundation, on Feb.25, organised a memorial service for sea turtles at the Neelankarai beach. The day marks the 9th anniversary when 824 sea turtles lost their lives around the Penna Estuary, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh. Additionally another 122 turtles sadly died this year in the 2022-2023 season along the Chennai and Chengalpattu coast. The team gathered in memory of the lost lives.
On the occasion, the team created a giant sand model of the Olive Ridley turtle. Speaking about the death of the sea turtles in Andhra Pradesh that happened on Feb.22, 2014, a statement from TREE Foundation read, “As word came in from other Protection Force members, very sad pictures of the turtles began to appear. After spending much time removing, marking and counting the dead turtles, a total of 824 deaths were recorded. For our Sea Turtle Protection Force members and volunteers, this was devastating news. Working tirelessly from January to May every year to safeguard endangered nesting turtles, this was a nightmare unfolding in front of their eyes, the largest ever mass stranding of endangered turtles along our coast on a single day. All the turtles had died due to drowning in about 40 trawl mechanised boats that were illegally fishing within 2 kms from the shore violating the Marine Fisheries Regulation Act. Trawl mechanised boats should conduct fishing beyond 8 km from the shore.”
Members of the TREE Foundation relived the trauma with the death of 122 turtles again this season. At the memorial service Tree Foundation shared the below message:
On that tragic day 9 years ago, 824 sea turtles lost their lives needlessly, due to the completely selfish actions of some people. For the last 20 years, all of us at TREE Foundation and the various departments working with us have worked ceaselessly to protect and preserve endangered sea turtles. Imagine how heartbreaking it was for our STPF patrol teams to witness so many dead turtles washed ashore.
Years of conservation efforts had been set back overnight leaving us with no option but to double down on our conservation efforts to protect these ancient reptiles. Despite the scenes they were confronted with, the STPF put on a brave face and gathered all the deceased turtles so they could be given a proper burial and have respect shown for their remains.
Recently we lost 82 sea turtles along our beaches to nets set for ray fish. It seems that no lessons have yet been learned from the tragedy of 2014. Are we witnessing the destruction of the local population right in front of our eyes? Let us truly hope not.
Some will survive, fighting off the extinction of their species, and someday they may make a recovery – it is our job to ensure they are given the best possible chance of surviving. This we do through our patrols, protecting turtles and nests. We regularly interact with the state departments who enforce the laws to improve protection for endangered marine wildlife.
What we cannot do unfortunately, is anticipate and stop every trawler that is fishing illegally and every fisherman using nets set for ray fish causing sea turtles to drown. Through the activities of a few selfish individuals, many suffer. At TREE Foundation we are pressing state departments for increased monitoring of trawl boats and strict enforcement of fishering regulations by the fisheries department.
Bad things happen. They always have and they always will. How we will be judged will be determined by how we react. We can become hopeless and feel like giving up, but as we gather here at this memorial today, I urge you to stand strong in the face of adversity.
We are the guardians of the planet for generations of all life forms, both human and all other species of life we are surrounded by. We have a duty to ourselves today, and to those who will follow us tomorrow. We can turn things around, and we can make things better. We will make things better. We will not give up.
Let us now send positive energy to all the turtles out there in the ocean.
Let us leave here today knowing our efforts and choices, can and do, make a difference. We can protect sea turtles, we can protect the oceans, the planet’s life support system, and in so doing, we can protect ourselves.
Tree Foundation is based out of Sri Kapaleeswarar Nagar, Neelankarai. Ph: 94443 06411 and 22496411.
