MT Saju The Times of India 9 Mar 11;
CHENNAI: Selective fishing using kaccha valai (a special net to catch minute sea species) is on the rise in the stretch between Palaverkadu and Alampara fort near Chennai since the annual seasonal movement of rare sea species close to the shore last month. At least 25 boats venture into sea every day from various villages to catch rare sea snails, shells and crustaceans, and each returns with at least 50 kg of sea species every day. "The catch is loaded into private vans immediately and then transported to the nearby processing units. We get the money for our work a week later," says Sahayavelu, a fisherman in Vyalikuppam. About 90 % of these species are exported to countries like China, Singapore and Malaysia.
As demand for rare sea species increases, fishermen in the area are busy making use of the season. However, experts say if selective fishing continues in the Coromandel coast, it will soon destroy the marine eco system. The monofilament net the fishermen use, according to them, has the capacity to catch the minutest species from the water, including the juveniles. "The monofilament net is strong, so no sea species can escape once trapped. "The danger of catching juveniles is that they don't get a chance to grow and reproduce, which lead to destruction of the marine eco system," says P Dandapani, retried professor of zoological survey of India.
A week ago, two fishermen organisations in Chennai jointly issued a circular to villagers living in Palaverkadu and Alampara Fort asking them not to indulge in selective fishing using kaccha valai. Although the circular reached almost all the villages, there was no sign of compliance by the fishermen. While a section believes that catching shells and crustaceans are a livelihood option for fishermen, many villagers don't support the non-traditional method of selective fishing using kaccha valai. "Most of these species fall under the category of prohibited marine animals of the Wildlife (protection) Act. So it's not a matter of catching one or two shells. Here, fishing is done extensively targeting the rare sea species, exploiting the season. Targeting any species will lead to its extinction," says an activist based in Chennai.
In some villages, selective fishing even destroys the coral belt where female fish breed on. "The fishermen even destroy the whole coral belt to catch the rare sea cucumbers and horses. This is total destruction. You are killing the rare sea animals and also destroying the coral belt where other female fish lay eggs," says Dandapani.
Lack of control and sheer business interest of the marine products export development authority (MPEDA) is said to be the main reason behind this disastrous trend. "The MPEDA wants money, so there is no proper checking on what is exported. The government should intervene and take some appropriate action before they fully destroy the marine life," he says.
