The Tamil Nadu Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare Department has planned to begin a trial of 50 Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) on fishing boats to help protect sea turtles.
These TEDs, which are fitted to trawl nets, will prevent the turtles from getting trapped. The submission was made in a report filed before the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal as part of a suo motu case on the high mortality of the Olive Ridley sea turtles along the Chennai and Chengalpattu coasts.
Between January 17 and February 5, the Department has filed charge sheets against 193 fishing boats for breaking fishing rules, including 68 of those cases in Chennai. In total, 172 boats have been charged for violations of the Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulation Act so far. These boats were found using trawl nets without TEDs. The report said that 30 boats have been impounded, and fuel subsidies have been stopped for all 172 boats until their cases are resolved.
As part of efforts to control sea turtle deaths, the Fisheries Department is also conducting joint patrols with the Forest Department and the Coastal Security Group to monitor fishing activities, especially within a 5-nautical mile area of turtle nesting sites. This zone is critical for turtle conservation, and strict fishing regulations are in place to protect it, the report said. Along with these patrols, awareness campaigns are being held in fishing villages to educate local communities about the importance of protecting sea turtles.
According to the Fisheries Department, the trial installation of TEDs is just one part of a wider plan to improve turtle conservation. These efforts include better monitoring of fishing boats using tracking systems and ensuring that all fishing activities are compliant with environmental protection laws. The Department plans to continue these efforts throughout the turtle breeding season, which runs until April 2025, with the possibility of extending them further based on need.
