Sea turtles are dying in record numbers off the coast of India. Near the Nellore district, increasing numbers of dead turtles have been found, and the reason appears to be a rise in the number of mechanised fishing boats.
Mechanised fishing methods certainly increase fishing efficiency. They also increase the numbers of turtles caught by accident, many of whom do not survive.
All species of sea turtle already face serious threats from pollution, overfishing, habitat destruction and hunting. The last thing they need is another one.
Ask the Indian government to regulate the movements of mechanised boats.
We the undersigned ask that you take action to protect sea turtles off the coast of the Nellore district and elsewhere.
The turtles are dying in record numbers, apparently due to an increase in the number of mechanised boats. This would appear to be a straightforward problem to solve and we ask that you regulate the movements of such boats to ensure that turtle deaths are minimised.
Sea turtles - including Olive Ridley, which is listed by the IUCN as “vulnerable” - are already in trouble and cannot cope with another threat. Please take decisive action on this issue as a matter of urgency.
Thank you for your attention.
