Chennai, Oct 13 (IANS): The Tamil Nadu forest department has commenced a major campaign for the protection and conservation of sea cucumbers which are designated as endangered species under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.

Despite several measures taken by the department, smuggling of the marine animal continues unabated across the shores of Tamil Nadu in the wake of a surging global demand for live and processed sea cucumbers.

According to a senior forest officer, the smugglers resort to collecting the sea cucumbers that get trapped in fishing nets and even at times use shallow nets, so that plenty of them are caught.

So far this year, the forest department has registered 30 cases in the Mandapam range which comes under Ramanathapuram area.

A department official said that around 9 tonnes of sea cucumber was caught this year alone.

The department will now conduct awareness programmes across the coastal region on the preservation and conservation of the endangered species.

Fishermen, fishermen unions, boat owners, and fish sellers will be educated on the importance of the sea cucumber and why it should not be hunted and smuggled out of the country.

The department will also rope in marine biologists to give talks and lectures.

However, a section of the fishermen's community told IANS that after two decades odd conservation efforts, the sea cucumber population has drastically increased and called upon the government and the forest department to lift the ban.