Sea turtle conservation workers in India are slowing the planned construction of a massive shipping port that would disturb olive ridley sea turtles, but they need our help. The Sea Turtle Restoration Project is coordinating a U.S. coalition to support their efforts. The following news story features our conservation ally Kartik Shanker in India.

Olive Ridleys May be Spared from Port Expansion in Orissa

The Indian Times - Economic Times Nov. 5, 2010

NEW DELHI: The endangered olive ridley turtle could well upset South Korean steel maker Posco’s plans to construct a captive port at Jatadhar in Orissa.

The proposed port at the mouth of River Jatadhar of the Mahanadi delta would be located in close proximity to the congregation area of the olive ridley sea turtles. It would also be in close proximity to mass nesting beaches for turtles, including the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.

The olive ridley turtle is listed as a protected species under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act. Given the importance of the area for the protection of turtles, the mouth of the Jatadhar river has been designated as protected waters under the Orissa Marine Fisheries Regulation Act.

There are concerns about the impact of increased illumination from the proposed port on the nesting sites for adult turtles, as well. The large number of ports, many of which are in proposal stage, has become a cause of concern for the impact it has on marine life. The area is also home to dolphins, among other species.

“Orissa has the largest nesting population of olive ridleys outside Central America. Also, the olive ridley turtle population in the Orissa coast is unique. Genetic studies show that olive ridley populations in the Pacific and Atlantic originated from India's east coast. Therefore, from the conservation perspective, protecting the habitat along the Orissa coastline takes on greater importance,” said ecologist Kartik Shanker, faculty at the Indian Institute of Science , Bangalore.

Mr Shanker is part of a group of ecologists and biologists who have drawn attention to the impact of the increased port construction on the Orissa coast.

The group also includes Romulus Whitaker of the Madras Crocodile Bank , Sudarshan Rodriguez of TISS, Sejal Worah of WWF-India. The scientists will be conveying their concerns about the need to protect the ecosystem of the Orissa coast to the environment ministry shortly. Earlier, they had submitted their views to the ministry appointed Posco review panel as well.

“Over the years, the intensity of illumination from the Paradip port has intensified although located at a distance of approximately 50 km from the Gahirmatha nesting site. We are of the opinion that the illumination and glow of light from the Posco port area will inhibit nesting from taking place at the Devi river mouth,” the biologists said in their communication.

They have drawn attention to the fact that the environment impact assessment report for the port project prepared by M N Dastur and Company made no mention of the impact the port would have on the marine environment of the area.

“The report is not a suitable document for assessing impacts on the marine environment, particularly on the globally significant population of sea turtles,” the communication states. India is a signatory to the Indian Ocean memorandum of understanding for the conservation of sea turtles and a party to the Convention on Migratory Species.

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