Team Herald
MARGAO: MLA Churchill Alemao on Saturday felicitated Pele Fernandes, a fisherman for rescuing and releasing the Olive Ridley turtles at Benaulim beach.
Alemao said Pele has shown Goans that way which everyone has to follow. “He found five turtles and released them into their habitat. This is a way shown by him to Goans because if caught, they are eaten by humans,” Churchill said.
“When we used to go fishing with ramponn, we used to get these turtles. Earlier, when a turtle was caught in Benaulim village there was a bid to eat it. I paid that person and freed the turtle into its habitat,” Churchill recalled. Churchill commended the effort of Pele from Benaulim. Pele said, “I have rescued nearly 30 turtles and several dolphins in last several years. It is my message to the entire world to save these magnificent creatures”.
He also thanked the police, Captain of Ports and all those who have commended his work including Churchill. He wishes to continue this work even in the future.
It may be recalled that five adult-sized Olive Ridley turtles got entangled into fishermen’s nets off Benaulim on Friday.
They were brought ashore by some fishermen and water sports’ operators, who then cut off the nets and let them out into the sea again.
Pele said that when they went with their nets into the sea to fish they noticed the turtles swimming. Some of the animals got tangled in a net. The fishermen then brought the turtles ashore and cut the nets and freed the turtles.
“This is a gift to have these magnificent creatures in the sea and they have to be protected at any cost. We are lucky to have found them and will let them go back to their real home,” Pele had said.
He had emphasised that in the lockdown times, the animals could have been poached for their meat.
The fishermen released the turtles into the sea after freeing them from the tangled nets and watched them swim to safety.
