Over 1,308 Olive Ridley turtles have died along the Tamil Nadu coast after becoming entangled in fishing nets. The primary cause of these turtle deaths is the use of trawl nets within five nautical miles of the coast, a practice banned under existing regulations. The Olive Ridley turtle is classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Tamil Nadu has two Marine Elite Force units that combat marine wildlife crimes such as poaching, smuggling, and illegal fishing. The state government has also proposed procuring patrol boats for the Forest Department, allowing independent surveillance alongside the Fisheries Department. The department is also working on protecting Green Turtles using telemetry technology, which helps track their movements for better conservation planning. For confidential support on suicide matters call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details. In the U.S. call the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255.
