By Manoj Kar
Kendrapara, Nov. 8: As part of its programme to protect marine animals, the Indian Coast Guard has embarked on its exercise to protect Olive Ridley sea turtles along the ‘prohibited' Gahirmatha marine sanctuary.

The coast guard patrol exercise for surveillance on sea-worthy trawls is stepped up as turtles perish in large number after getting hit on trawl propellers. Besides breeding animals get entangled in fishing nets and are asphyxiated to death, said official sources.

In addition to the routine vigil along the sea coast, coast guard has pressed into service two other ships to intercept the intruding trawlers.

Once the turtles arrive en masse, an aircraft would be pressed into service for easy interception of illegal trawling operation along the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary area.

The coast guard is always on alert to check trespassing of vessels. The patrolling operation would be further intensified in coming days in view of the apprehension of mid sea clash involving fishing trawls and patrol vessels, said a Coast Guard official.

Besides the forest department officials have also recently sought our assistance. A request was made from them to intensify coastal vigil on our part as in last year there has been spurt in illegal marine fishing leading net-entanglement-induced death of turtles.

We are always ready to help the forest and fisheries department for the safety of these delicate marine species, quipped CG officials.

A state-of-the-art CG ship is maintaining round-the-cloak vigil along the coastal shoreline.

The CG patrol in turtle congregation sites would remain in force till the marine turtles finish laying eggs on nesting beaches, added a CG commandant.

While the focus of coast guard has always been to intercept trespassing of foreign vessels and its crews through sea route, there is always confusion over the proper identification of Bangladeshis infiltrating by sea-route.

Coast Guard personnel had earlier asked the state fisheries department to issue identity cards to each of marine fishermen inhabiting in migration-prone coastal villages.

The detection of Bangla infiltrators on trawls is a cumbersome process due to their striking similarity in language, looks and physical features with local Bengali-speaking marine fishermen. The fisheries department had been requested to feel the gravity of the situation for the safeguard of national security, said the Coast Guard sources.

“Often we find ourselves in catch-22 situation. The crewmembers from intercepted sea-worthy vessels are found Bengali-speaking. There is very little to differentiate from a Bangla national and migrant Bengali fisherman on the basis of physical features and spoken language,” said the sources.