Fishermen in India have been urged to install a Turtle Excluder Device (TED) to their nets while fishing.
An awareness programme was held at the Fisheries Survey of India, Visakhpatnam, by the State Fisheries Department, Marine Police, Indian Coast Guard (ICG), GVMC and other departments at the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday for the owners of mechanised, motor and traditional fishing boats on turtle conservation during fishing.
CIFT Visakhapatnam Chief Scientist U. Sreedhar said the Institute will provide the TEDs to some boats on trial basis. He said the government had banned using of lights during fishing (light fishing) as it changes the behaviour of fishes and there was a possibility of a fall in fish population in the sea.
On the occasion, the fishermen were informed about the ill-effects of leaving used and torn nets, ropes and plastic waste in the sea. The fishermen were told that the neighbouring Odisha State had declared a ‘No Fishing Zone’ at Gahirmata coastal area and some other places and asked them not to fish at the said places.