Fishermen In Goa Rescue Olive Ridley Turtles Trapped In Nets, CM Thanks Them For Kind Gesture

Recently, group of fishermen reportedly released a number of Olive Ridley turtles who had accidentally got caught in fishing nets. The video of the incident that took place along the shores of Benaulim beach in Goa went viral soon after.

The local fishermen¡¯s gesture came to the notice of Goa¡¯s Chief Minister Pramod Sawant who hailed them for their collective effort in rescuing five Olive Ridley turtles, a protected species.

Last month, many Olive Ridley turtle hatchlings emerged from their nests in Goa. Olive Ridley turtles are annual visitors on many beaches in Goa including, Morjim, Mandrem, Galgibagh and Agonda. These are a protected species which fall under the Schedule 1 of Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

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Pramod Sawant tweeted that the kind gesture on part of the fishermen was a sign of respect towards the ecosystem, a fact that needed to be lauded.

¡®I am grateful for the kind gesture of my Goan brothers, making our state a better place to live by respecting the nature's ecosystem,¡¯ his tweet read.

I am grateful for the kind gesture of my Goan brothers, making our state a better place to live by respecting the nature's ecosystem. pic.twitter.com/2NUqvMGgac

¡ª Dr. Pramod Sawant (@DrPramodPSawant) June 21, 2020

Pele Fernandes and his five-member team were fishing near the beach a few days ago when they spotted turtles entangled in nets. The turtles were set free by using knives and sickles. Four of them were, reportedly, immediately returned to the Arabian Sea but one of them was taken to the state¡¯s Forest Department headquarters in Margao as it had sustained minor injuries.

The fishermen were also honoured by local Nationalist Congress Party MLA from Benaulim assembly constituency Churchill Alemao.

Also read: Olive Ridley Sea Turtles Came To Nest On Odisha Beach, Now Crores Of Baby Turtles Are Hatching

This is how people reacted online:

If only people like this were incharge of running out beautiful state and protecting our forests and wildlife ?

¡ª Jonas Coutinho (@Jonas_Coutinho_) June 21, 2020

????????

¡ª amitrai56113683 (@amitrai56113681) June 21, 2020

We need more people like this.?

¡ª Tarun Ashok Malviya (@TarunAshokMalv1) June 21, 2020

???

¡ª Subhash Yogi (@Yogisubhas) June 21, 2020

Kind hearted Goans ?

¡ª Anand Kondaguli (@Anandkondaguli) June 21, 2020

Great guys

¡ª Manju Naik (@ManjuNa51738008) June 21, 2020

The planet definitely needs more people like them.

Also read: How Indian Coast Guard Saved An Endangered Olive Ridley Turtle Tangled In A Massive Net