Mangaluru: ReefWatch has formally launched a new helpline called Matsya: Marine Telemedicine Helpline and Resource Centre, on Thursday. The dedicated telephone number will support general citizens, forest department staff, or anyone who encounters strandings and environmental problems on India’s coastline.A marine animal stranding incident is when an animal such as a sea turtle, sea bird, or cetacean washes up from the sea onto land, either dead or alive (usually due to injury or illness) and is unable to return to the water. Marine events are unusual happenings in the ocean or along the coast, such as oil spills, tar balls washing up, large numbers of fish dying, or rare animal sightings.A team of marine biologists and veterinarians will provide real-time guidance via calls and consultations, ensuring no stranded sea turtle, sea bird, or cetacean goes unattended. Training material, including instructional videos, manuals, and handbooks, has been developed and translated into India’s coastal languages for this purpose.Supported by Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies Foundation, Matsya expands on ReefWatch’s proven track record in Goa and Karnataka. ReefWatch, in collaboration with the state forest department, has been working effectively in Goa and Karnataka for the past few years, addressing the stranded marine megafauna (sea turtles, seabirds, and cetaceans) incidents through veterinary care and rehabilitation.Through the Marine Megafauna Stranding Response project, the team works closely with response networks, which include forest officials, lifeguards, and fishing communities who aid in reporting and responding to a stranding incident. In the 2024-25, 494 cases were attended to and 181 live cases handled in the span of four months starting from June.“Over the past few years of working in Goa and Karnataka, our team attended to hundreds of cases of injured marine megafauna. While we do not have the financial resources to have physical treatment centres in each coastal state, we hope to use our experience to assist injured endangered marine animals through vets and professionals operating in those areas. Through Matsya, we not only hope to provide remote assistance to people who encounter injured or dead sea turtles, sea birds, dolphins, and whales but also to gather this nationwide information into a single database that can be used to better conserve these endangered species,” said Nayantara Jain, executive director of ReefWatch Marine Conservation.The helpline number is +916360249764 via a call or a WhatsApp message.
