Fishermen release sea cows, dolphins

MADURAI: Government agencies are taking measures to protect and conserve marine resources and biodiversity with the active participation of fisher folks in association with the Forest personnel.

Marine fauna that were accidentally caught in fishing nets were released into seas off Ramanathapuram coast. Dugong, a rare sea cow, one of the marine mammals and classified as herbivores, was released at Narippaiyur of Thoothukudi Range on Saturday and a couple of dolphins, the other marine mammal categorised as carnivore, were released into sea at Seelameenpaadu, Keelakarai Range on November 16.

Similar efforts also resulted in the release of one more dugong at Mookaiyur, Thoothukudi Wildlife Range on November 8, a statement said on Saturday.

Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park being at the junction of obligatory livelihood demands of fisher folks and the increasingly threatened marine habitats, it has necessitated that a proper consensus and a line of control be reached between the conflicting priorities.

Nowadays, it’s good news that dolphins and sea cows are seen as kith and kin by the fisher folk, making them release the marine mammals. In this regard, CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Management and Planning Authority) Dugong Recovery Project of WII along with the Forest Department has been incentivizing such eco-friendly efforts. The efforts have been appreciated by the Forest Secretary Supriya Sahu and Bakan Jagdish Sudhakar, Indian Forest Service, Wildlife Warden Ramanathapuram Wildlife Division.