5 months ago
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Hatcheries for the Olive Ridley turtle nesting play person been acceptable up successful Chennai. While the hatchery astatine Besant Nagar is afloat operational, hatcheries volition besides beryllium established astatine Neelankarai, Kovalam, and Pulicat. The Pulicat hatchery is nearing completion, said a Forest Department official.
Temperature information loggers volition beryllium installed successful prime nests astatine immoderate hatcheries to survey whether ambient temperatures are being maintained.
The Olive Ridley turtle nesting play typically begins successful December and continues until astir April on the Tamil Nadu coast, with wide nesting events known arsenic arribadas occurring astatine prime locations. During this period, conservation measures specified arsenic hatchery establishment, formation patrolling, and regularisation of sportfishing activities are intensified to support nesting turtles and their eggs.
As the yearly nesting play has conscionable begun, lone a fewer nests person been recorded truthful far. Night patrolling by wood guards and watchers has commenced.
Over 100 turtle carcasses person washed ashore on the seashore since December.
Manish Meena, Wildlife Warden, Chennai, said the Tamil Nadu Forest Department is coordinating with the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department, the Fisheries Department, and the Marine Police, and that information connected violators, including trawlers, is being shared among agencies.
On Monday, erstwhile The Hindu accompanied the Marine Elite Force during a patrol to intercept trawlers, up to 5 trawlers were recovered violating the prohibition of sportfishing wrong 5 nautical miles from the shore. Of these, 3 trawlers were charge-sheeted by the Fisheries Department and volition beryllium temporarily barred from fishing, Mr. Meena said.
During the erstwhile nesting season, a grounds 60 hatcheries were acceptable up crossed coastal districts. This year, the Forest Department plans to found astir 50 hatcheries initially and volition summation the fig arsenic the nesting play progresses, depending connected the fig of nests found.
