49 Turtles Found Dead Along West Godavari Coast
West Godavari District Forest Official (DFO) FA Kiran said the turtles are getting entangled in fishing nets belonging to local fishermen, who are required to cast nets beyond the permissible distance from the shoreline
Narsapuram: As many as 49 turtles were found dead along the West Godavari district coastline here over the past 48 hours, raising concerns over illegal fishing practices close to the shore. West Godavari District Forest Official (DFO) FA Kiran said the turtles are getting entangled in fishing nets belonging to local fishermen, who are required to cast nets beyond the permissible distance from the shoreline.
"Forty nine turtles have been found dead along West Godavari coastline over the past two days, raising serious concerns about fishing nets being cast close to the shore," Kiran told PTI on Thursday.
West Godavari maintains a small coastline of 19 kilometres.
Turtles surface every 45 minutes to breathe and retreat into the depths, but due to fishing nets laid close to the shore they are unable to come out, he said.
Kiran said the turtles were getting entangled in coastal fishing nets allegedly cast within the restricted range.
According to DFO, physical evidence such as popped up eyes and swollen necks indicated drowning, which was also confirmed by veterinary doctors during post-mortem examinations.
The forest department has called on the fisheries department to step up enforcement through strict surveillance, awareness camps for fishermen and track boats using GPS navigation systems, he said, pointing out that these measures were not being effectively implemented.
Whether the turtles died within the coastal limits of West Godavari or elsewhere remains unclear, as carcasses may drift from other regions before washing ashore, the official noted.
He pointed out that marine police jurisdiction extends only up to Konaseema, and personnel would have to travel nearly 60 kilometres to reach West Godavari if required.
The district has only one mechanised boat for monitoring activities, unlike Kakinada, Machilipatnam and Konaseema regions which have several boats, he said.
Kiran also flagged the presence of abandoned "ghost nets" in the sea and stressed the need for dedicated patrolling teams to remove them and prevent further marine deaths.
