Evaluating the ecological risks of marine litter and derelict fishing nets on Olive Ridley hatchlings: Insights from a globally renowned rookery along the east coast of India

Anthropogenic marine litter have become a pressing environmental challenge, posing serious risks to marine organisms and the ecosystem. This study assessed litter composition, density, and ecological impact across four key Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) nesting beaches near the Rushikulya rookery, Odisha, India, an internationally recognized site for mass nesting events known as arribadas. We recorded 1103 litter items, with plastics comprising over 85 % of the litter. Litter was systematically classified by its material composition, origin, and buoyant properties. The calculated beach quality indices revealed poor environmental quality across all sites, with clean coast index (25.73–54.67), plastic accumulation index (8.11–18.63), and pollution load index (18.96–27.63) indicating significant pollution. The clean environment index (35.00–79.27) classified all beaches as “dirty” to “extremely dirty,” while the hazardous items index (0.38–1.86) highlighted notable hazardous litter presence. Overall, the nesting beaches exhibited high litter density, including transboundary plastic litter. Alarmingly, 237 dead and 121 entangled hatchlings were found, primarily trapped in derelict fishing nets and synthetic ropes. Our findings highlight an urgent need for targeted conservation measures, stricter enforcement of seasonal fishing bans, and coordinated regional action to address local and transboundary marine litter impacting one of the globally important sea turtle nesting habitats.