In less than a year, 59 fishermen awarded ₹11.9L for rescuing protected marine animals

In less than a year, the Maharashtra fishing community has rescued 64 protected and endangered marine mammals caught in their fishing nets. The state mangrove cell

In less than a year, the Maharashtra fishing community has rescued 64 protected and endangered marine mammals caught in their fishing nets. The state mangrove cell on Sunday said 59 fishermen were compensated with ₹11,94,350 for the safe release of these marine species over the past 10 months. Within the last seven days, 19 fishers were compensated with an amount of ₹3,65,000 across Thane, Raigad and Palghar.

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The compensation scheme for the conservation practice was launched by the mangrove cell and fisheries department on December 21, 2018, and was subsequently passed by the state Cabinet. Endangered marine animals, protected under various schedules of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, get caught in large trawler fishing nets and are rescued by cutting these fishnets. However, while the animals survive once the nets are cut, the fishing community endures a loss due to damaged nets. Hence, for such rescues a monetary compensation of up to ₹25,000 was proposed if the fisher can submit evidence of the rescue and damaged nets to the state.

“Through several awareness drives and local outreach programmes, we managed to convince 1,100 members of the fishing community along the Konkan coast about the value of endangered marine species. The efforts have resulted in mutual benefit of marine life and the community,” said Virendra Tiwari, additional principal chief conservator of forest (mangrove cell).

So far, 27 olive ridley turtles, 17 whale sharks, 16 green sea turtles, one case each for hawksbill turtle, leatherback turtle, Indian Ocean humpback dolphin and giant guitar fish, all majorly Schedule I species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, have been rescued. While maximum cases have been reported from Thane district (23), Sindhudurg reported 16 cases, Raigad 13, Palghar 9, Ratnagiri 2, and one case in Mumbai.

“Of the total of 64 cases reported so far, five fishermen are yet to be compensated as we are still verifying the evidence,” said Tiwari. “Our researchers are also benefitting from this scheme as the fishing community has been sharing vital information about habitat preferences and occurrences of rare marine life along the state’s coastline. We are planning detailed conservation studies across such zones.”

The state’s coastline had witnessed a surge in marine mammal deaths and stranding incidents (143 cases) between 2016 and 2019. However, the frequency of such cases has reduced over the past year.