Chennai, Oct 6 (NationPress) In a significant conservation initiative, Chennai is poised to establish its inaugural elite marine unit dedicated to safeguarding the city’s vulnerable coastline and endangered marine species, particularly the Olive Ridley sea turtles that arrive at these beaches each winter for nesting.

The specialized patrol unit is anticipated to commence operations by the end of this month, covering a 60-km stretch of coastline from Muttukadu in the south to Ennore in the north, with a primary focus on eliminating illegal trawling activities within five nautical miles of the shoreline.

This inshore area is legally designated as a protected breeding ground for marine life.

For years, enforcement in these shallow waters has been inadequate, allowing trawlers to deploy nets that frequently ensnare and kill sea turtles and juvenile fish.

The newly formed unit will be outfitted with three patrol vessels—a high-speed interceptor craft and two 20-seater boats designed for immediate detention and transportation of violators.

“This force will ensure continuous monitoring during the crucial turtle mating and nesting season,” remarked a senior official from the forest department.

Every year, from November to January, Olive Ridley turtles migrate to the Bay of Bengal coast. Chennai is home to solitary nesters, while major mass nesting (or arribada) occurs in Odisha at Gahirmatha, Rushikulya, and the mouth of the Devi river. Such mass nesting events are otherwise only observed in Mexico and Costa Rica.

Despite fewer nesting occurrences here, conservationists assert that Chennai’s beaches are vital for the species’ survival in the southern Bay of Bengal.

Tamil Nadu has consistently been a leader in turtle protection efforts, with decades of volunteer-driven conservation initiatives.

Various activist organizations and the state forest department’s nocturnal patrol teams have preserved thousands of eggs from predators and urban encroachment. However, the mortality rate of adult turtles caught in nearshore fishing nets remains a significant concern.

Last season witnessed a distressing increase in turtle fatalities; post-mortem examinations linked many to drowning in trawl nets.

Conservationists are hopeful that the elite patrol could represent a pivotal change by enforcing existing regulations and protecting marine biodiversity.

“This effort transcends turtles—it’s about maintaining an entire coastal ecosystem,” stated a marine biologist involved in turtle monitoring in Chennai.