Hardly three months have gone by since a special protection force assigned by the administration of the Indian Union Territory of Lakshadweep seized 1,716 sea cucumbers from an uninhabited island named Suhali. Weighing 882 kgs and priced at Rs 4.26 crore in the international market, the shipment was kept ready for smuggling to Sri Lanka. According to marine biologists, the seizure was the largest ever of its kind in the entire world.
It was a tip-off from the local fish workers that helped the task force to reach Suhali in time on February 12, to seize the shipment hidden in an unseen corner of the coral reefs. The solitary island is located about 60 km away in the sea from Kavaratti, the capital of the cluster of islands.
Though no one has been arrested so far, the New Delhi headquarters of Central Bureau of Investigation has taken over the investigation since the third week of March, keeping in view the gravity of the issue and based on recommendations of Wildlife Crime Control Bureau of India.
According to Jafer Hisham, marine researcher and a member of the Lakshadweep Biodiversity Council, sea cucumbers are named so because of their resemblance to the vegetable. Generally found on the seafloor, they possess leathery skin and an elongated body containing a single-branched gonad.
An endangered species often vulnerable to poaching, sea cucumbers have been the target of seafood mafia operating in the Indian Ocean region. The illegal transnational trade has been occurring in the Lakshadweep region, despite the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau of India launching enhanced special vigil involving the coastguard, police, forest officials and fish workers in all the islands, especially in those which remain uninhabited like Suhali.
On January 15, the special protection force involving police and forest officials of the island administration had seized 172 sea cucumbers weighing 234 kg and worth Rs 11.7 million from an unnamed island located about 80 nautical miles off Kavaratti. Four persons forming part of an international marine animal trafficking syndicate were arrested.
On January 23, the same force had arrested an international wildlife trade kingpin and seized a consignment of 52 dead sea cucumbers weighing 10 kg and worth Rs 5 lakh from him.
Speaking to Mongabay-India over the phone, Lakshadweep’s Chief Wildlife Warden and Secretary for Environment and Forests Damodhar AT, said the highly sensitive coral reefs of the island cluster are under constant threat due to this continuing illegal trade.
Sea cucumbers are invertebrates that can grow to up to six feet in length. They are in high demand in China and some parts of Southeast Asia for food and traditional medicine. However, India is treating it as a species listed under schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. A total ban on their harvesting and transportation in any form has existed in India since 2001, pointed out Damodhar.
As per Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act, sea cucumbers of marine environments enjoy the same status as tigers and lions. The Act, passed in 1972 by the Indian Parliament, aims at the protection of plants and animal species. The Wildlife Protection Act has six schedules of protected plant and animal species. The schedules give varying degrees of protection. Schedule 1 stands for absolute protection and offences under it invite the highest penalties.