India, Nov. 1 -- Every winter, hundreds of thousands of Olive Ridley turtles arrive on Odisha's coast to breed and nest. Protecting the endangered species, however, comes at a cost to fishing communities, which must observe a seven-month fishing ban in the world's most largest marine turtle nesting grounds. This year, the Odisha forest department's annual ban took effect on November 1 and will remain in force until May 31, 2027.

Two of the state's major breeding grounds are Gahirmatha beach in Kendrapara district and Rushikulya beach in Ganjam district. The turtles arrive in coastal waters around November to mate, while females come ashore to lay eggs, usually in March.

In 1997, the government declared Gahirmatha a marine sanctuary to p...