JOIN USThe programme is taken up under the project of sensitising the fishing community regarding the importance and conservation of endangered fish species. As many as 5 billboards are installed in five areas across the coastal belt of the State. Karwar, Honnavar, Bhatkal, Udupi and Mangalore are the places chosen to set up billboards. The billboard at Mangalore will be put up on Saturday.
The billboard at Malpe fish market was unveiled by Dasi Venkata Kharvi, the person who has conserved countless sea turtles in nine years at Marvanthe beach.
Speaking on the occasion, Additional Director General of Police (Forest) K S N Chikkerur said the awareness programme is taken up to protect prohibited marine fishes under Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. The billboard comprises the pictures of the endangered species such as Grouper, shark and whales are given additional importance. Most of the fishermen and women are illiterate and billboard with picture helps them to identify the endangered species. Violation of law will end up in 3 to 7 years of imprisonment, he added.
The other fishes that come under endangered species of Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 include pointed saw fish, guitar fish, Gangetic stingray, thorny ray, small toothed sawfish, green sawfish, glyphius, Pondicherry shark, whale shark, guitar shark, spear toothed shark and sea horse.
Dasi Venkata Kharvi is into the job of conserving the sea turtles since nine years. He says he just goes to the sea shore every full moon and new moon day to find out the eggs of sea turtles. Sea turtles come to beaches on full moon day and new moon day to lay eggs. He collects all the eggs and carefully preserves them till they hatch. A sea turtle will lay as many as 130 eggs at a time and it takes nearly 52 to 55 days to hatch. The government pays Rs 5 for conserving each egg. Once the little turtles come out of the eggs, Kharvi leaves it back to the sea in the presence of Forest department officials.
Kharvi has conserved more than 100 turtle eggs each year. He says he might have preserved nearly 2000 sea turtles since nine years.
However, the government has not paid the amount as assured to him but still Kharvi continuous his work and finds satisfaction in conserving sea turtles. His family has joined hands with him in this task. He was honored on the occasion.