Subject: Gahiramatha Sanctuary


#2. Gahiramatha beach declared marine sanctuary

The Orissa government has decided to declare the Gahiramatha
beach, the world's biggest nesting ground of the Olive Ridley sea
turtles, as a marine sanctuary, according to official sources in
Bhubaneswar on Thursday.

The limits of the sanctuary, ensconced within the magical
Bhitarkanika National Park, would extend from the south of Dhaa
in Bhadrak district to 15 km north of the Paradip port. This was
exclusively done to protect the Olive Ridleys, which died in
thousands last year, probably caught in the gill nets of fishing
trawlers, when they neared the coast for their annual mass nesting,
the sources said.

With the area turning into a sanctuary, the authorities would be
able to enforce the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972,
and throw a protective net around the area. Earlier, they could
hardly do anything as the provisions of the Orissa Marine
Fisheries Regulation Act were not stringent enough to deal with
the situation.

Describing the Omfra as a weak Act, the sources said that the coast
guard authorities would also be in a position now to take action
against offending fishing trawlers. Wildlife officials had last
month held a meeting with the director-general of the Coast Guard
to discuss measures to protect the turtles.

Environmentalists had warned that the turtles might abandon the
rookery, one of the most majestic sites of nature, if the killing
continued as had happened in the Mexico coast.

The sources said that the wildlife authorities would now move the
Fisheries Department to enforce the use of Turtle Excluder Device,
in the fishing trawlers operating in the sanctuary area. The TED
would help the turtles to escape even if caught in the fishing nets
of the trawlers.

Chief Minister, J B Patnaik, is expected to meet wildlife officials
to discuss the increased protection for the Olive Ridleys, who are
expected to arrive in the Gahiramatha coast in December for
Arribada or mass nesting.

Meanwhile, a renowned ornithologist has urged the government to
declare the Nalabana bird sanctuary within the famous Chilka lake
as a national park by expanding its existing area. He also
demanded creation of three more bird sanctuaries in the State.

The ornithologist, Dr U N Dev, said at Berhampur that areas
which also attracted migratory birds like the Chadheihaga island
near Bhusandapur and places around the lake which harboured the
winged visitors should be included in the proposed national park.

Kaberi Kar Gupta			Home: 1111E University Dr. #219
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