Considering several incidents of turtles being washed ashore dead in early 2025, the TREE Foundation organised the annual stakeholders' workshop on Monday to address this concern and enhance conservation efforts prior to the turtle migration and nesting season of 2026.
TREE Foundation, a non-governmental organisation working for the protection of sea turtles and other endangered marine species, held the workshop on “Strengthening Community in Conserving and Releasing Entangled Endangered Marine Megafauna (Sea Turtles, Dolphins, Whales and Whale Shark) along the Goa Coast” on Monday at Benaulim.
Around 51 participants attended the workshop and were guided by officers from the Forest, Fisheries, Marine Police and the Indian Coast Guard. The workshop was supported by the Eicher Group Foundation.
The workshop aimed to enhance the knowledge and skills of the local youth fishing community in identifying, recording, releasing and conserving marine megafauna, including dolphins, whales, sharks, rays and turtles from fishing gear and ghost nets. The workshop also provided the participants with an excellent opportunity to interact, exchange and share ideas, and thus strengthen the network with other enforcement agencies charged with the protection of the marine environment and endangered marine life.
The workshop also included a practical mock demonstration on a boat, where the participants were made to observe and record marine megafauna sightings and strandings.
The participants also learned how to collect and report data on marine megafauna incidents to the relevant authorities and organisations.
The workshop fostered a sense of responsibility and cooperation among the stakeholders for the conservation and management of marine resources and biodiversity.
