Rescued And Released

The months of January to April are the Olive Ridley nesting season. During this time that the turtle fall prey to fishing trawlers and fishing nets. Five days after the release of a Male Olive Ridley Sea Turtle from New Kalpakkam, it was again an incident where another turtle was caught in a fishing net. 

Mr. D. Panchanathan, Father of Mr. Senthil, Tree Foundation Sea Turtle Protection Force ( STPF) Member found the turtle entangled at around 6 am, in a fishing net which is used to catch Sting Rays and Guitar Fish. They had cast the net last evening, on 23rd January at 4pm and left the place to return back in the morning  to take their catch. Mr. D. Panchanathan along with Mr. R. Desapattu, Mr. J. Ramathash, Mr. J. Bakthavachalam and Mr. Sivalingam found that there was a sea turtle which was caught in the and entangled in the fishing net. 

On reaching the shores the information was passed to Mr. Moorthy, STPF member of New Kalpakkam village, who informed  the news to Dr. Supraja Dharini, Chairperson Tree Foundation.  

The turtle was disentangled, photographer, measurements were recorded. The turtle was flipper tag later on the right flipper with tag no-CG 2258 and the left flipper tag no: CG 2257 and  released. The Forest Department of Tamil Nadu is working out a  compensation scheme for fishermen in case their nets are damaged in the process of disentanglement of turtle. Tree Foundation conducted its “Turtle Sticker Release” program organized along with the Forest Department, Fisheries Department, Trawl Boat Fishers Owners Welfare Association and the Indian coast guard which is said to be the first of its kind initiative undertaken in India collaborating with various government bodies and organizations. The sticker elaborates with pictorial representations, about the safe procedures involved in the release of turtle entangled in fishing nets.