National Marine
National Marine
National Marine
Action Plan
Government of India
Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change
(2021-2026)
2
National Marine Turtle
Action Plan
Government of India
Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change
(2021-2026)
3
4
5
6
B ackgro und
India has a vast coastline of more than 7,500 km, of which, about
5,400 km belong to Peninsular India and about 2,000 km to the
Andaman, Nicobar, and Lakshadweep Islands, and with an EEZ
(Exclusive Economic Zone) of 2.02 million sq. km. Five species of
sea turtles are found in Indian waters. The marine biodiversity
including marine turtles in India is one among the richest in the
Indian Ocean.
Daniel Torobekov
7
G oal
1. Conserve Species, their habitat and reduce negative impacts
on survival of marine turtles;
Vision
Create a viable and healthy marine ecosystem for marine turtles and
associated species through a coordinated and participatory mechanism
to ensure long term survival of marine turtles.
Mission
The Action Plan aims to conserve marine turtles and their habitats for
maintaining a healthy marine ecosystem.
Richard Segal
8
Clockwise: Hawksbill turtle, Olive ridley turtle, Green
turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Wikimedia commons),
Leatherback turtle (Dakshin foundation)
9
M arine Tur tle Ac tion Plan
The Indian coastal waters supports five species of sea turtles found
worldwide. These are the Olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), Green
(Chelonia mydas), Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), Leatherback
(Dermochelys coriacea) and Loggerhead (Caretta caretta). These
five species of sea turtles that occur in Indian coastal waters are
protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
10
THREATS
Onshore Offshore
Natural causes
erosion, shifting sands,
Ipomoea invasion,
cyclones, global
warming and climate
change Bycatch due
Loss of Nesting Fishing Related to near shore
Beach Mortality fishing, trawling,
gill netting
Anthropogenic causes
Casuarina plantations,
sand mining
Light pollution
Pollution Pollution
Fibropapillomatosis
caused by water
pollution
Nest Predation Disease
11
b. Protection, conservation and rehabilitation of marine turtle
habitats is key for long term survival of marine turtles. Towards
meeting this objective, areas of critical habitat such as migratory
corridors, nesting beaches, inter-nesting and feeding areas to be
identified and managed, while degraded marine turtle habitats
are to be rehabilitated.
12
Important Marine Turtle Habitats in India
Important Turtle
Habitats (Catchment Remarks / Clarification Major Threats
State District)
Rushikulya river Mass nesting ground of Olive Ridley Erosion, Nest predation,
(Kandhamal and plastic pollution, light
Odisha Ganjam) pollution and bycatch
Gahirmatha river Mass nesting ground of Olive Ridley Erosion and Nest
(Kandhamal and predation, bycatch
Odisha Ganjam)
Beaches along Krishna Moderate sporadic nesting of Olive Nest predation, plastic
River and Penneru river Ridley pollution, light pollution,
Andhra mouth (Nellore) habitat degradation and
Pradesh bycatch
13
Important Marine Turtle Habitats in India
Nallavadu,Pannithittu, High sporadic nesting of Olive Nest predation, by-
Narambi and Ridley catch, erosion, habitat
Puducherry Moorthikuppam degradation, planta-
villages (Puducherry) tion, plastic and light
and beaches around pollution
Arasalar River
(Karaikal)
Gulf of Mannar Foraging ground of green and Nest predation, plastic
Biosphere Reserve Olive ridley, good seagrass beds pollution, habitat deg-
Tamil Nadu (Thoothukkudi and radation, poaching,
Ramanathapuram) bycatch
Tamil Nadu Chennai coast, Sporadic nesting ground Nest predation, by-
(northern Tamil Nadu) of Olive ridley turtles with catch, plastic pollu-
conservation programmes from tion, light pollution,
1973 egg poaching, habitat
degradation
Gujarat Western Saurashtra Green and -Olive ridley turtle Nest predation, by-
coast, Gujarat nesting grounds catch, plastic pollution,
(Junagadh, Jamnagar habitat degradation
and Porbandar)
Asit Kumar/AFP
14
Marine Turtle Action Plan
Objective 1. Reduce direct and indirect causes of marine turtle mortality
1.1 Identify and a) Collate and organise existing MoEF&CC, All coastal To be
document data on threats to marine turtle State/UT Forest States and initiated in
the threats to populations and Fisheries UTs 2021; to be
marine turtle Departments, repeated
populations and b) Establish baseline data every
their habitats collection and monitoring WII, ZSI, CMFRI, 5 year
programmes to gather NCSCM, IISc, FSI, thereafter
information on the nature and NIOT, ICMAM,
magnitude of threats ANCOST,
Universities, State
c)Determine those populations level research
affected by incidental capture institutions, NGOs
in fisheries, and other sources of etc.
mortality
1.2 Determine 1.2 Determine and apply Erosion and All coastal To be
and apply best practice approaches to Nest predation, States and initiated
best practice minimising those threats to bycatch State/ UTs in 2021
approaches marine turtle populations and UT Forest and to be
to minimising their habitats and Fisheries continued
those threats Departments thereafter
to marine turtle
populations and MoEF&CC and
their habitats MoES, WII
Jeremy Bishop
15
Objective 2. Protect, conserve and rehabilitate marine turtle habitats
2.1 Establish a) Identify areas of critical habitat State/UT Forest All coastal To be
necessary such as migratory corridors, nesting and Fisheries States initiated
measures to beaches, inter-nesting and feeding Departments and and UT in 2021
protect and areas. MoEF& CC especially and to be
conserve those continued
marine turtle b) Designate and manage protected/ important thereafter
habitats conservation areas, sanctuaries or sites
temporary exclusion zones in areas mentioned
of critical habitat, or take other in this
measures (e.g. modification of action plan.
fishing gear, restrictions on vessel
traffic) to remove threats to such
areas
16
Implementation Timeline
Programme Activity Agencies Sites/
States
2.2 a) Re-vegetate, where appropriate, MoEF&CC, All coastal To be
Rehabilitate frontal dunes at nesting beaches, State/UT Forest States initiated
degraded with indigenous flora as far as Departments, and UT in FY 21-22
marine turtle possible, in order to provide visual NGOs etc especially and to be
habitats barriers to coastal development those continued
and to restore appropriate beach important thereafter
temperature regimes sites
mentioned
b) Remove casuarinas from the in this
important nesting beaches action plan.
Daniel Torobekov
17
Objective 3.Improve understanding of marine turtle ecology and populations
through research, monitoring and information exchange
18
Programme Activity Implementation Sites/ Timeline
Agencies States
3.4 Exchange a) Standardise methods and levels MoEF& CC, All coastal To be
information of data collection and adopt or State/UT Forest States initiated
develop an agreed set of protocols and Fisheries and UT in 2021
for inter alia monitoring of nesting Departments, especially and to be
beaches, feeding ground studies, IOSEA, BOBP, those continued
genetic sampling, and collection of ICMAM, CSIR, WII, important thereafter
mortality data IISc, IISER, NIOT,/ sites
ANCOST, ZSI, mentioned
b) Determine the most appropriate CMFRI, CMLRE, in this
methods for information NIO, SAC, NGOs action plan.
dissemination
d) Disseminate traditional
knowledge on marine turtles and
their habitats for conservation and
management
19
Objective 4. Increase public awareness of the threats to marine turtles and
their habitats, and enhance public participation in conservation activities
20
Programme Activity Implementation Sites/ Timeline
Agencies States
4.2 Develop a) Identify and facilitate alternative MoEF& CC, All coastal To be
alternative livelihoods (including income State/UT Forest States initiated
livelihood generating activities) that are and Fisheries and UT in 2021
opportunities not detrimental to marine turtles Departments, especially and to be
for local and their habitats, in consultation ICSF, NGOs those continued
communities with local communities and other important thereafter
to encourage stakeholders. Undertaking turtle sites
their active based tourism programme like mentioned
participation Turtle Festival in this
in action plan.
conservation b) Bring in ecotourism (turtle
efforts tourism) and interpretation centres
in an organized fashion.
4.3 Promote Involve stakeholders, and local MoEF&CC, All coastal To be
public communities in particular, in State/UT Forest States initiated
participation planning and implementation of and Fisheries and UT in 2021
conservation and management Departments, especially and to be
measures NGOs those continued
important thereafter
Encourage the participation of sites
Government institutions, non- mentioned
governmental organisations, the in this
private sector and the general action plan.
community (e.g. students,
volunteers, fishing communities,
local communities) in research and
conservation efforts
21
Objective 5. Enhance national, regional and international cooperation
Implementation Timeline
Programme Activity Agencies Sites/
States
5.1 Enhance a) Develop regional database of MoEF&CC, All coastal To be
mechanisms relevant information in relation to State/UT Forest States initiated
for marine turtles conservation and and Fisheries and UT in 2021
cooperation management Departments and especially and to be
and promote NGOs those continued
information b) Identify and strengthen existing important thereafter
exchange mechanisms for cooperation at the sites
sub-regional level mentioned
in this
action plan.
c) Develop/strengthen a website
and/or newsletter to facilitate
networking and exchange of
information
d) Develop/strengthen a web-
based information resource
for marine turtle conservation
(including data on populations,
nesting, migration, on-going
projects)
22
Programme Activity Implementation Sites/ Timeline
Agencies States
f) Development of compensation
schemes for loss of fishing gear
due to incidental capture of marine
turtles.
23
Government of India
Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change