More than 50,000 sea turtles have been found dead on the Orissa coast in the past two years. This was revealed by a video survey conducted by Project Swarajya, a non-governmental organisation, during the turtle seasons of 1996-97 and 1997-98.Pointing out that mechanised trawling and gill netting were responsible for what it called the "mass slaughter" of Live Ridleys, the report by the NGO blamed the state government for its failure to check illegal fishing near the five major rookeries of the state.