In Bhitara Kanika Sanctuary, Orissa. The silence was deafening. While there are records of past years in which nesting failed to occur, the present situation cannot help but illicit grave concern. Historically, the pristine and remote beach at Gahirmatha has been well protected by a rich mangrove forest, and it has attained the pride of place as the site of the world's largest sea turtle nesting event. Despite the usual mating aggregations in October 1996 off the coast of the sanctuary, the turtles did not commence with egg-laying.
Offshore fishing is one explanation.
Between October and April each year, fishing is prohibited within 20 km of the coast to avoid threatening the sea turtles. They were mostly from Orissa and neighboring West Bengal, though foreign trawlers also intruded into the area. Thousands of turtles were entangled in these nets and were killed. Some dead dolphins were also found. The Orissa government has been very callous to this disastrous situation.