Dhamra Port: Towards creating a sustainable environment Mitigating impacts on Olive Ridley turtles due to port construction

Mitigating impacts on Olive Ridley turtles due to port construction

MARINE TURTLES Types 7 species of marine turtles: Leatherback Loggerhead Hawksbill Flatback Green Kemp’s Ridley Olive Ridley

7 species of marine turtles:

Leatherback

Loggerhead

Hawksbill

Flatback

Green

Kemp’s Ridley

Olive Ridley

THE OLIVE RIDLEY

OLIVE RIDLEY MATING

THE ‘ARRIBADA’ One of the great wonders of the natural world: Thousands of adult female olive ridleys come together to nest on a stretch of beach – this phenomenon is known as ‘Arribada’

OLIVE RIDLEY NESTING

BABY OLIVE RIDLEYS The hatchlings must find their way to the ocean before dawn to increase their chances of survival

Brightness is an important cue for olive ridley hatchlings as they attempt to orient towards the ocean.

NESTING SITES IN ORISSA, INDIA: GAHIRMATHA DEVI RUSHIKULYA Source: Tracking Turtles Through Time and Space - Kartik Shankar in Resonance, June 2002

DHAMRA PORT Developed by Dhamra Port Company Ltd (DPCL) 50:50 JV of Tata Steel and Larsen & Toubro Port being developed at Dhamra in Bhadrak district, Orissa state Environment clearance obtained in Jan 2000 First phase expected to be operational by 2010

Developed by Dhamra Port Company Ltd (DPCL)

50:50 JV of Tata Steel and Larsen & Toubro

Port being developed at Dhamra in Bhadrak district, Orissa state

Environment clearance obtained in Jan 2000

First phase expected to be operational by 2010

CLOSE CALL Port situated 15 kms north of Gahirmatha

GREENS SEE RED Opposition from several environmental groups Key concerns re: the port & allied activities: Turtles will be endangered Turtles will be driven away The natural habitat of the turtles will be irreversibly damaged

Opposition from several environmental groups

Key concerns re: the port & allied activities:

Turtles will be endangered

Turtles will be driven away

The natural habitat of the turtles will be irreversibly damaged

DREDGING IMPACTS ON TURTLES A dredger can entrain turtles only when turtles resting on the sea-bed come in the path of the drag-head

The port is constructing a 18 kilometers long navigational channel, further north, with a draught of 18 meters This will involve dredging of 60 million cubic meters of material, including 5 million cubic meters of sand DREDGING AT DHAMRA

Drag-arm with drag-head

Hopper Inflow pipes Drag-head

DREDGING MITIGATION TURTLE DEFLECTOR

DREDGING MITIGATION TURTLE DEFLECTOR

DREDGING MITIGATION INFLOW AND OVERFLOW SCREENS

DREDGING MITIGATION TURTLE OBSERVER PROGRAMME: TRAINING

DREDGING MITIGATION TURTLE OBSERVER PROGRAMME: CHECKING PIPES

DREDGING MITIGATION TURTLE OBSERVER PROGRAMME: CHECKING PIPES

DREDGING MITIGATION TURTLE OBSERVER PROGRAMME: FILLING DATA FORMS

RELOCATION TRAWLING PERMITS BY STATE GOVERNMENT WORK IN PROGRESS

LIGHTING IMPACTS ON TURTLES Artificial lighting can adversely affect hatchling sea-finding behaviour in two ways: disorientation or misorientation

LIGHTING MITIGATION DPCL and its contractors - L&T and ABB - are designing lights for the port Dhamra to be the first port in the country to install lights that will not impact turtles

DPCL and its contractors - L&T and ABB - are designing lights for the port

Dhamra to be the first port in the country to install lights that will not impact turtles

LIGHTING LEGISLATION Liaising directly with relevant State Government agencies to draft and implement lighting ordinances which would be applicable to all development, not just at Dhamra, but along the entire Orissa coast, where turtles nest LIGHTING LEGISLATIONS

Liaising directly with relevant State Government agencies to draft and implement lighting ordinances which would be applicable to all development, not just at Dhamra, but along the entire Orissa coast, where turtles nest

This is a common sight along the Orissa coast:- turtle carcasses floating on the water or stranded on beaches

More than 10,000 turtles die every year along the Orissa coast A majority are unfortunate victims of fishing activity

CONSERVATION INITIATIVES AWARENESS AMONG FISHERMEN Initial dialogue to allay apprehensions of loss in fish catch due to Turtle Excluder Devices. Demonstrations of TED to follow.

CONSERVATION INITIATIVES AWARENESS AMONG SCHOOL STUDENTS On-going awareness programme in high schools More than 9000 students interacted with Inter-school essay writing competition on turtles

CONSERVATION INITIATIVES “ KAINCHCHA” A street theatre on turtles commissioned in November 2008 Performances at 20 fishing villages in Bhadrak, Balasore & Kendrapara districts Reached out to more than 15000 fisherfolk – men, women, children Using imagery of the turtle as an incarnation of God “ Our turtles, our pride ” slogan to inculcate a sense of belonging among the locals towards the turtles of Orissa

“ KAINCHCHA”

A street theatre on turtles commissioned in November 2008

Performances at 20 fishing villages in Bhadrak, Balasore & Kendrapara districts

Reached out to more than 15000 fisherfolk – men, women, children

Using imagery of the turtle as an incarnation of God

“ Our turtles, our pride ” slogan to inculcate a sense of belonging among the locals towards the turtles of Orissa

LITERATURE REVIEW & GAP ANALYSIS STUDY BY WILDLIFE INSTITUTE OF INDIA (WII) To compile a summary of all past and on-going research on the Olive Ridley turtles in and around the coast of Orissa To list future research required after identifying the gaps in research This study will be the basis for future efforts in research and conservation of turtles

STUDY BY WILDLIFE INSTITUTE OF INDIA (WII)

To compile a summary of all past and on-going research on the Olive Ridley turtles in and around the coast of Orissa

To list future research required after identifying the gaps in research

This study will be the basis for future efforts in research and conservation of turtles

GAPS IN RESEARCH ON SHORE ENVIRONMENT Geo-morphological changes affecting nesting beaches Nest site selection by turtles Status of sea turtle nesting along the entire coast of Orissa Abundance of predators on prime nesting sites Improvisation in techniques to estimate nesting turtles

ON SHORE ENVIRONMENT

Geo-morphological changes affecting nesting beaches

Nest site selection by turtles

Status of sea turtle nesting along the entire coast of Orissa

Abundance of predators on prime nesting sites

Improvisation in techniques to estimate nesting turtles

GAPS IN RESEARCH OFF SHORE ENVIRONMENT Feeding ecology & availability of prey in near-shore waters Movement patters & behaviour of turtles during congregations Impact of gill net fishing on incidental capture & mortality of turtles Population dynamics Level of pollutants and its effects on turtles Long term satellite tracking programme

OFF SHORE ENVIRONMENT

Feeding ecology & availability of prey in near-shore waters

Movement patters & behaviour of turtles during congregations

Impact of gill net fishing on incidental capture & mortality of turtles

Population dynamics

Level of pollutants and its effects on turtles

Long term satellite tracking programme

DHAMRA – THE ROAD AHEAD……

THE TURTLE TRUST THE TURTLE TRUST

THE TURTLE TRUST