Post by tekmac on Jul 4, 2005 7:50:09 GMT -5
VISAKHAPATNAM: The survival of dolphins, the most intelligent of all marine species, whales and porpoises in Bay of Bengal between Visakhapatnam and Kakinada is seriously threatened.
They are either caught in fish nets, hit by boat propellers or used as bait to catch the tuna fish. Increased fishing activity and boat and trawler traffic are dealing a death blow to these human-friendly aquatic mammals.
Nothing is being done to conserve them (collectively they are called cetaceans) though they are mentioned as highly endangered species in the Red Data Book of International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). They also figure in the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Cetaceans are found in good numbers on Bay of Bengal coast between Rushikonda and Bheemunipatnam and off Dibbapalem, Gangavaram and Poodimadaka villages. But there is no official count of their population.
Currently, one dolphin is reported to be dying due to unnatural causes every month while earlier such incidents occurred once in a year or so.
The new-found craze among gourmets for tuna fish has become a major threat for dolphins. They are used as bait to catch tuna fish which fetch a lucrative price in the international markets.
Speaking to this website's newspaper, Conservator of Forests, PV Padmanabham said that there is no organisation which deals with this aspect of wildlife conservation. About 15 years ago, there was an officer of the DFO cadre who was exclusively dedicated to protect the marine creatures. No such official or organisation exists now.
Cases could be booked by the Forest Department, Coast Guard or even Police but incidents themselves are never reported. B Bharata Lakshmi, an associate professor of Zoology Department of Andhra University, who studied cetaceans, expressed concern over the unnatural death of cetaceans like being hit by propellers of boats.
Species found in Indian territorial waters
WHALES: Blue, Fin and Right whales
DOLPHINS: Grey, Bottle-nosed, Hump-backed, Spinner and Common dolphins
PORPOISES: Little Indian or Black Fin-less porpoises
They are either caught in fish nets, hit by boat propellers or used as bait to catch the tuna fish. Increased fishing activity and boat and trawler traffic are dealing a death blow to these human-friendly aquatic mammals.
Nothing is being done to conserve them (collectively they are called cetaceans) though they are mentioned as highly endangered species in the Red Data Book of International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). They also figure in the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Cetaceans are found in good numbers on Bay of Bengal coast between Rushikonda and Bheemunipatnam and off Dibbapalem, Gangavaram and Poodimadaka villages. But there is no official count of their population.
Currently, one dolphin is reported to be dying due to unnatural causes every month while earlier such incidents occurred once in a year or so.
The new-found craze among gourmets for tuna fish has become a major threat for dolphins. They are used as bait to catch tuna fish which fetch a lucrative price in the international markets.
Speaking to this website's newspaper, Conservator of Forests, PV Padmanabham said that there is no organisation which deals with this aspect of wildlife conservation. About 15 years ago, there was an officer of the DFO cadre who was exclusively dedicated to protect the marine creatures. No such official or organisation exists now.
Cases could be booked by the Forest Department, Coast Guard or even Police but incidents themselves are never reported. B Bharata Lakshmi, an associate professor of Zoology Department of Andhra University, who studied cetaceans, expressed concern over the unnatural death of cetaceans like being hit by propellers of boats.
Species found in Indian territorial waters
WHALES: Blue, Fin and Right whales
DOLPHINS: Grey, Bottle-nosed, Hump-backed, Spinner and Common dolphins
PORPOISES: Little Indian or Black Fin-less porpoises