Nature Quest: Sea turtles in danger
Some of the species already became rare as killings continue in Cox's Bazar, St Martin's and Sonadia islands
During the breeding season, sea turtles come to the shore to lay eggs. But their journey is not risk free and many of them cannot make it back to the sea.
Some of them are killed under the water after being trapped in fishermen's nets while others are mercilessly beaten to death by rowdy locals on the beaches in St Martin's, Cox's Bazar or Sonadia Island.
Although some turtle species have already become rare in the country, such killings are not stopping.
At least 32 turtles were found dead on the beaches or in the nearby areas in the first 18 days of this month, Marinelife Alliance, a platform working for the marine biodiversity conservation, said in a report on Wednesday.
In January last, 15 turtles were spotted dead on the beaches. At the end of the year, the number reached 86, said the report.
The report mainly blamed the use of marine set bag net (MSBN) and mechanised shrimp trawl net (MSTN) for the death of the turtles.
"MSBN is very destructive. This is similar shape gears but smaller that trawl net, fixed in a place... turtle, small dolphins, porpoise cannot escape for life. These gears remain 4-6 hours and turtle or dolphin die far before the harvesting time," said the report.
It also said most of the dead turtles are Olive Ridley and Green Turtles.
Trawlers also do come very close to the shore, shallower than 40 metres, hitting and killing many turtles.
The alliance, which is working under a project titled "Sea Turtle Conversation Programme", observed that the total number of dead turtles found on the beaches came down to 86 last year. It was the lowest in the last 13 years, thanks to some initiatives by the government and several organisations to raise public awareness against killing the reptiles.
However, the scenario has not changed in the sea where turtles keep getting killed.
The turtle conservation programme was supervised by the Bangladesh Forest Department and funded by the World Bank.
"The roaming areas of the turtles are becoming risky as most the fishing trawlers are not following the proper rules of fishing and moving in the coastal areas. The fishing nets don't have turtle excluder device [TED] that helps turtles flee," Zahirul Islam, director, Marinelife Alliance, told The Daily Star.
The amended Marine Fisheries Rules, 1983 made it mandatory for fishing trawlers to have TEDs but no one is following that, he said.
He said under the programme, which has ended, they built at least 22 centres on the beaches to monitor free movement of turtles and ensure their protection.
Quoting different studies, Nitendra Kumar Singha, a scientific officer at the Marine Fisheries Survey and Management Unit, said it has been found that turtles play a significant role in protecting several sea fishes and other aquatic lives.
Contacted, Moin Uddin Ahmed, district fisheries officer at Cox's Bazar, said he would comment after looking into the matter.
He, however, said the Chittagong District Fishery Department always keeps an eye on the movement of the trawlers. The department fines anyone who violates the rules, he added.