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The turtle protection programme was launched by our partner VSPCA in 1996, the year it was founded, and has been supported by NetAP since 2008.
VSPCA is fighting very successfully for the protection and conservation of the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtle on the coast of Visakhapatnam. This coast is an important nesting site on the east coast of India. The aim is to make it easier for the female turtles to arrive and lay their eggs and to ensure that the hatchlings hatch safely. Almost one million baby turtles have already been safely released into the sea. It also ensures that the turtles that end up as bycatch in the local fishing nets are released.
Different dangers lurk for turtles on land and in the water.
The sea turtle season begins in December and the last hatchlings usually hatch in June. Most of the work is therefore done from October onwards, when the first hatcheries are built for the turtles. VSPCA has been working successfully with the Forest Department in Visakhapatnam for several years. This department has taken over some of the work in relation to nest protection.
Education is organised throughout the year. The most important thing is to raise awareness of the problem among the villagers and fishermen, e.g. through talks and events. They are very open to this and in recent years many fishermen have been convinced of the need to protect turtles. Some of them are now actively involved in the Sea Turtle Protection Force. The education programmes are designed for the long term and should lead to a complete handover of the project to the locals.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Another important pillar in the fight for the turtles is lobbying with the necessary ministries. VSPCA uses this and court cases to try to reduce pollution from industrial plants and wastewater discharges and to stop sand mining and dredging along the coast. VSPCA is also fighting for the mandatory use of turtle extruders on large industrial trawlers so that the turtles can escape from fishing nets again.
The active protection of the eggs and hatchlings is ensured during the season by the Sea Turtle Protection Force set up by the VSPCA. This force consists of former local fishermen and volunteers who scour the beaches to protect the nests and hatchlings. They rescue and secure disorientated young animals and help the weak ones to overcome the surf. In addition, people on the beach are informed about the turtles and the current nesting season and information material is distributed. Two members are responsible for every four kilometres of beach. Before they start their work, they receive extensive training in both theory and practice.
The nests and eggs have been actively relocated to safe breeding sites since the 2011/2012 season. In previous years, the nests were still secured in place. These methods are called INSITU: protection without moving the nests, EXSITU: protection by moving the nests.
Another important part of the programme is the daily release of sea turtles caught in local fishing nets near the coast. Every morning, the fishermen bring them ashore and free the so-called by-catch to release it back into the sea. Although the fishermen have committed to doing this, it still needs to be monitored. A trained team is deployed accordingly.
The aim is to control a 130 kilometre stretch of coastline. However, this requires at least 16 employees. So far, two employees are being financed by NetAP.
VSPCA is pursuing the following long-term goals with the project:
The programme has been so successful that it is constantly being expanded to include other stretches of coastline.
More about the programme in the article by Chico (January 2018) Begleitschutz für kleine Meeresschildkröten
