Goa to Intensify Olive Ridley Turtle Conservation; GCCI Pledges Full Industry Support

Night patrolling at four nesting beaches, strict enforcement of Turtle Excluder Devices and statewide drive to remove discarded fishing nets among key decisions

Goa Khabar: The Goa State Coordination Committee for Turtle Conservation has decided to strengthen measures to protect Olive Ridley sea turtles along the state’s coastline, including intensified night patrolling, strict enforcement of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) and a statewide campaign to remove discarded fishing nets from beaches and coastal waters.

The decisions were taken during a high-level review meeting held at Van Bhavan, Altinho, Panaji, under the chairmanship of K. Ramesh Kumar, IFS, Chief Wildlife Warden and Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, who also serves as Chairman of the State Coordination Committee for Turtle Conservation.

The meeting reviewed the implementation of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for sea turtle conservation formulated in accordance with directions issued by the Supreme Court of India.

Senior officials from the Forest Department, Fisheries Department, Coastal Police, Indian Coast Guard, Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), Tourism Department, Department of Environment and Climate Change, Directorate of Industries and representatives of NGOs attended the meeting.

### GCCI Announces Industry Support for Turtle Conservation

The Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) pledged full support from the industrial sector for Olive Ridley turtle conservation initiatives in Goa.

GCCI Director General Sanjay Amonkar, who represented the industry at the meeting, announced that the Chamber would facilitate the mobilisation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Corporate Environmental Responsibility (CER) funds for conservation activities.

Amonkar conveyed that GCCI President Pratima Dhond has identified turtle conservation as a flagship CSR initiative.

GCCI will coordinate with the Department of Industries, Trade and Commerce to encourage industries to contribute towards conservation programmes.

The Chamber emphasised that clean beaches and the protection of marine turtles are essential components of Goa’s environmental identity and tourism image.

### Four Major Turtle Nesting Beaches Identified

The committee reviewed conservation measures at Goa’s four notified Olive Ridley turtle nesting beaches — Morjim, Mandrem, Agonda and Galgibag.

Of these, Morjim and Galgibag have been declared Turtle Conservation Reserves.

The committee decided to intensify protection measures during the turtle nesting season from October to May.

Coastal Police will strengthen night patrolling between 8 pm and 6 am along the four nesting beaches to prevent disturbances, illegal activities and threats to nesting turtles.

### Strict Enforcement of Turtle Excluder Devices

The committee stressed the need for 100 per cent enforcement of Turtle Excluder Devices in trawling operations.

These devices allow turtles accidentally caught in fishing nets to escape, reducing the risk of injury and death.

The SOP specifies a minimum escape opening of 35 cm by 12 cm.

The Fisheries Department will continue awareness programmes among trawler operators regarding the mandatory use of these devices.

### Statewide Campaign Against Ghost Nets

Another major decision was to launch a statewide campaign to collect abandoned and discarded fishing nets, commonly known as ghost nets.

These nets pose a serious threat to marine turtles and other aquatic species, as they can trap and injure marine animals.

Discarded nets will be collected from beaches, estuaries and fishing trawlers and sent for recycling through the Goa Waste Management Corporation and authorised recycling agencies.

The Fisheries Department will install collection bins at all seven fishing jetties across the state to facilitate the disposal of old fishing nets.

### Fisheries Department Appreciated for Conservation Efforts

The committee particularly appreciated the efforts of Fisheries Director Dr. Shamila Monteiro and her department in supporting turtle conservation activities.

Members acknowledged the department’s role in creating awareness among traditional fishermen and trawler operators, facilitating the reporting of injured or entangled turtles and coordinating joint patrolling operations with the Forest Department and Coastal Police.

The committee observed that active participation from the fishing community is essential for the successful implementation of turtle conservation measures.

### Helpline and Public Awareness Measures Planned

The committee also discussed several public awareness initiatives to strengthen community participation in turtle protection.

Multilingual information boards explaining conservation guidelines and prohibited activities will be installed at the four notified nesting beaches.

A single-point helpline will be established to enable citizens to report turtle nesting activities, egg poaching and injured turtles.

Awareness posters explaining how to handle injured turtles will also be prepared.

The committee appreciated the contribution of ReefWatch Marine Conservation and TREE (Trust for Research, Education and Environment), two organisations that have worked in Goa for more than a decade on turtle nest monitoring, hatchery management, tagging and community education.

### Supreme Court Directions Behind Conservation Measures

Chief Wildlife Warden K. Ramesh Kumar informed the meeting that the Supreme Court, through its order dated April 2, 2025, had directed coastal states and Union Territories to establish coordination committees and formulate state-specific conservation procedures.

The directions identified five major threats to sea turtles: trawling operations, entanglement in other fishing nets, poaching of eggs, artificial lighting affecting hatchlings and destruction of nesting habitats.

Subsequent directions issued in August 2025 required the establishment of a nodal agency and submission of reports twice a year.

The National Green Tribunal, through its February 17, 2026 order, also reiterated the need for strict compliance following an increase in turtle deaths along the Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh coastline.

Goa has accordingly prepared and notified its conservation SOP.

### World Sea Turtle Day Celebrations Proposed

The committee also discussed a proposal to celebrate World Sea Turtle Day on June 16 through beach cleaning campaigns, sand art activities and competitions involving students.

The proposed activities aim to promote awareness about marine biodiversity and encourage public participation in protecting endangered sea turtles.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Chief Wildlife Warden K. Ramesh Kumar directed all concerned departments to submit Action Taken Reports on the implementation of the conservation measures.

The committee emphasised coordinated action between government departments, industry, conservation organisations and fishing communities to strengthen the protection of Olive Ridley turtles along Goa’s coastline.