The Coast Guard has launched ‘operation Oliva’ coastal patrolling as part of its annual mission to ensure the safe mid-sea sojourn of breeding Olive Ridley sea turtles and mass nesting of these delicate marine species, the coast guard officials said on Friday.

Quoting Survey reports by the Odisha forest department, the CG officials informed that as many as 5,55,638 eggs have been safely laid by endangered Olive Ridley turtle species at Rushikulya and Devi River mouth to Astrang off Odisha symbolizing collective conservation efforts towards wildlife protection.

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Conservationists have established protected areas on beaches off Odisha coast where these turtles lay their eggs and thus these areas are regularly monitored to prevent human interference, whether through seaward poaching or disturbance from leisure activities, they said.

Every year since 1991, Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has been providing continuous assistance to central and state authorities and agencies for protection of endangered species under Wildlife Act, 1972.

Under Operation Olivia, the ongoing season of mass nesting of endangered Olive Ridley turtles at the coast of Odisha have yielded productive result as the nesting data mainly at Rushikulya have come up with 6,126 number of nests with 5,51,238 eggs, where in nesting at Devi River mouth to Astrang is sporadic in nature with 60 nests and 5,400 eggs.

Indian Coast Guard (ICG), being a maritime law enforcement organization, has been entrusted with the charter responsibility of preserving and protecting the maritime environment.

ICG in coordination with state fisheries and the forest department is conducting the operation, which commenced on 1 November which will continue up to 31 May 25.

As part of the ongoing operation ICG conducts periodic social awareness drives and a special community interaction program for sensitizing coastal populace and fishing communities. During this period, fishing vessels and boats operating close to the marine reserve areas and protected areas are being regularly monitored by ICG for the usage of Turtle Excluder Device (TED).

ICG ships and aircraft are deployed and tasked towards protection of turtles and to ensure that an appropriate environment is provided to the turtles for mass nesting and to enforce the legislation promulgated by the Government.

In the ongoing operation ‘Oliva’, 29 ICG ships were deployed for 138 days and ICG aircraft were tasked for about 65 hours, which has assisted in reduction of turtle casualties to a larger extent.

Around 150 fishing boats have either been boarded or investigated during ongoing operations to ensure strict adherence of law.

The Gahirmatha rookery in Kendrapara district is widely acclaimed as the World’s largest nesting beach of olive turtles. The Olive turtles turn up in millions for mass nesting along the Odisha coast every year anytime between February to March. Apart from Gahirmatha, these threatened aquatic animals turn up at Rushikulya river mouth and Devi river mouth for mass nesting. An Olive Ridley usually lays about 120 to 150 eggs from which hatchlings emerge after about 45 to 50 days.