When dolphins came dying at Mangaluru coast

When dolphins came dying at Mangaluru coast

Mangaluru: Of late, there is a harrowing sight along the beaches of Dakshina Kannada as the visitors to beaches stumble upon the decaying carcasses of dolphins or turtles. With two more dolphins washed ashore dead at Chitrapura beach between Mukka and Surathkal on Saturday and another dolphin washed ashore dead on Monday, the number of dolphins found along Dakshina Kannada coastline has increased to four while the number of dead turtles – mostly leatherbag – has touched five so far.

The local fishing community has been raising apprehensions about the oil balls being washed ashore as cause of these marine animals being washed dead but the experts have ruled out the possibility.

On May 14, a turtle and a dolphin were washed ashore dead at Guddekopla beach Near Surathkal in the afternoon. Another sea turtle was also found dead at Hosabettu beach around the same time that day. On May 27, Briau Royston, a photographer going for a shoot at Surathkal beach near NITK spotted a dead turtle washed ashore along the beach. He expressed his anguish about seeing the gentle marine species dying in the beaches and urged district administration and elected representatives to take up the marine pollution issue seriously.

Starting from the month of April, there are incidents of oil balls being washed along the coastline. District administration has clarified that the previous studies conducted along Western Coast found that it is natural phenomenon considering the fact that a lot of crude oil transport happens along the Western Coast.

Deputy Director of Fisheries, D Thippeswamy said that the department has taken up the issue with Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) in Mangaluru. “We have approached them since they are research organization. The department is also closely following this issue”, he mentioned.

Prathiba Rohit, Head of CMFRI, Mangaluru said that the dolphins and turtles have been washed ashore at highly decomposed state. If there was oil spill in the sea, not just dolphins, it should have affected lot of other fishes too. “These dolphins should have died away from the shore and washed ashore in highly decomposed state. We are investigating the cause of death of these marine species”, she said.

However, fishermen leader Vasudeva Boloor stressed that it is marine pollution which is killing dolphins and turtles. “It is evident from our experience that marine pollution especially oil spilling is killing the marine life. It is also evident from the dwindling catch of our traditional fishermen who fish near the shore”, said the veteran fishermen leader.

The fishermen have submitted a petition to district administration and local politicians to act on the oil balls pollution and protect the marine species.

Box: Another dolphin washed ashore

Even as the officials have been studying the reasons for death of dolphins and turtles along the coast, one more dolphin washed ashore dead at Sashidhulu beach on Monday. Unlike the previous dolphins whose carcass has decayed, this one was fresh with blood oozing out of its nose and another cut injury to its tail. Environmentalist Sashidhar Shetty of National Environment Care Federation said that these are not random dolphins or turtles which died but they have dying in last few years. “The industrial units established along the coast are polluting the marine ecology while the officials pay no heed”, he rued.

Baffled forest department decides to issue notice to port authority

Mangaluru: The sudden incidents of dolphins and turtles being washed ashore dead has baffled authorities since the fishing community alleges that oil spilling as the cause of death of these marine species. The forest department after studying the carcasses of dolphins has decided to alert port authorities of New Mangalore Port about the repeated incidents of dolphins and turtles dying.

Out of two dolphins washed ashore on Saturday, the forest department managed to carry out autopsy on one as the other has decayed beyond any study. The samples have been collected from the dead dolphin which will be studied for any oil spill causing the death.

The dolphins were charred with black colour and there are chances that they have died of suffocation due to oil spilling. Of late, the oil balls are being ashore along Dakshina Kannada coast line since April.

“We are in touch with scientists as well as with authorities to find the cause of death of the marine species. We are not ruling out the possibility of oil balls causing the death and investigating on it”, said Deputy Conservator of Forest, V Karikalan.

The department is also contemplating upon issuing notice to NMPT requesting their support to look into the situation. The Indian Coast Guard will also be requested to keep watch on the merchant vessels causing oil pollution to the sea. “We will issue a notice to NMPT asking them to instruct the vessels coming to the port or leaving not to spill oil or effluents during their voyage. We are also going to seek the support of Indian Coast Guard to keep a vigil on the vessels”, added Karikalan.