Saint Martin's Island: Concerns grow about sea ecology as turtles dying

Local residents have found around 40 dead sea-turtles washed up on the Saint Martin's Island beach under Teknaf upazila in Cox's Bazar over the past one week, indicating that such a large number of deaths may threaten the sea ecosystem.

The olive ridley turtles and other such species play an important role in the sea ecosystem by maintaining healthy sea grass beds and coral reefs, providing key habitats for other marine life, helping to balance the marine food webs and facilitating nutrient cycling from water to land.

"We're seeing 6/7 deaths each morning," said Md Arif, one of the fishermen, on Saturday.

"Sea turtles die in a row; this phenomenon, according to fishermen, never happened before," said Mr Arif at the St. Martin's Island.

Such a turtle has an average life span of 50 years and weigh up to 100 pounds.

Named after the greenish colour of their skin and shell, they are normally found in warm waters of the southern Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Although they are widely considered the most abundant of marine turtles, their number is declining quickly now, according to people who have thorough knowledge of the matter.

Environmentalists have expressed concern over the death of turtles and dolphins in Saint Martin's Island.

The Department of Environment appointed only six beach workers to preserve the environment on the island.

Locals and environmentalists found three possible reasons for death of the turtles . These are: They may sustain injuries from the rampant use of fishing nets, bitten by dogs at a time when female turtles come to the beach to lay eggs and the growing sea pollution.

Head of Zoology Department of Feni Government College professor Yunus Hasan told the FE, "We cannot ascertain why the turtles are dying, but this much is certain that they did not die from pollution at sea. Either they were hit by something or they were killed by fishermen when they got entangled in their nets.

Another reason may be that while hatching eggs the turtles were attacked by dogs, prof Yunus said.

Chief executive of Youth Environment Society (YES) in Cox's Bazar Ibrahim Khalil Mamun said they had information about death of more than 40 turtles and dolphins in St Martin's in last two weeks.

"We demand an enquiry to find out reasons for the death of turtles and dolphins", Mamun said.

Union Council chairman of St Martin's Nur Ahmed said due to negligence of those responsible there has been a rise in the death of turtles and dolphins and unless steps are taken, they will soon become extinct.

When contacted, UNO of Teknaf upazila Mohammad Saiful Islam told this correspondent that he had heard of the death of turtles and dolphins in the island. But he had no actual figure of how many turtles died.

After being entangled in fishing nets many turtles are dying. So there should be a drive to eradicate the use of current nets, the UNO said.

On the other hand, marine officials said the deaths could be caused by increasing pollution in the bay from waste disposal of ships and trawlers or perhaps other unknown natural causes.

When contacted, chief executive of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) Sayeda Rizwana Hasan told this correspondent that she had also heard of the death of turtles in St Martin's.

If turtles and dolphins disappear from the sea the coral island will face serious ecological imbalances.

"We want a safe area for turtles and dolphins. We also demand controlled tourism in St Martin's without any public nuisance to save this finest island," Rizwana Hasan said.

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