Minister expresses concern over fall in number of marine turtles

Minister for Forests and Housing Benoy Viswom has sought the active
participation of local bodies and non-governmental organisations
(NGOs) for the conservation of marine turtles along the Kerala coast.
Inaugurating a State-level workshop on 'Marine turtle conservation'
organised by the World Wide Fund for Nature-India (WWF), Kerala
Forests and Wildlife Department and the Union Ministry of Forests and
Environment here on Tuesday, the Minister expressed concern over the
reduction in number of marine turtles nesting along the coast over the
years. The Minister urged the participants and organisers to develop
an action plan for the conservation of marine turtles. The workshop
called for strict enforcement and punitive measures for violators
under the Wildlife Protection Act and participation in conservation
involving local bodies, schools, colleges, and youth clubs.The other
recommendations included education and awareness programmes for the
different sections of society and possible co-ordination between the
various enforcement agencies like the Forest Department, the Coast
Guard and the Fisheries Department. Chief Wildlife Warden K.P. Ouseph,
who chaired the valedictory session, stressed the need for developing
successful models of participatory conservation.

The Hindu, 9th January 2009