The Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has launched the National Marine Turtle Action Plan.

• Aim: To strengthen and sustain collective and collaborative sea turtle conservation through the monitoring of key sites and a network of partners in the Indian sub-continent
• The project contains ways and means to not only promote inter-sectoral action for conservation but also guide improved coordination amongst the government, civil society, and all relevant stakeholders.
• It highlights actions to be taken for handling stranded animals on the shore, stranded or entangled animals in the sea or on a boat, reducing threats to marine species and their habitats, rehabilitation, etc.

National Marine Turtle Action Plan: About

• India has rich marine biodiversity along a vast coastline of over 7,500 km.
• It has significant  nesting  and  feeding  grounds  for  four  species  of  marine  turtles,  namely  leatherback  (Dermochelys  coriacea),  green  (Chelonia  mydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys  imbricata)  and  olive  ridley  (Lepidochelys  olivacea)

Even though all four species are listed under Schedule I  of the  Indian  Wild  Life  (Protection)  Act,  1972,  their populations in the  Indian waters are under threat.