We are the registered association Coastal Environment and Ecological Conservation Committee.
India has a long coastal line stretching to over 7000 kms which includes the coastal line of Andaman and Nicobar islands and on an average about 15000 million dollars worth of sea food and other marine products are being exported every year from our country. Out of the total export value of fish and other sea food from the country , Tamilnadu’s contribution in particular accounts for about 5 lakhs M.Tonnes . In the ocean not only several varieties of fish and other marine products but also other sea food are available in abundant quantity. The fish and other marine products are also another replenishable natural resources.
In addition to natural mineral resources and other resources of fish and other marine products , ocean bed is the vast reservoir of petroleum and natural gas resources as well in Middle East , etc countries. Large section of fishermen living in the coastal areas depends on fishing in the sea for their livelihood. Further more, several lakhs of people eke their livelihoold by collecting shells, oysters, sea weeds and other aquaculture products, etc as their ancillary profession. Therefore , it may be understood that the sea and its adjoining environment provide tremendous employment to the fishing community at large and others for their sustenance. Consequently, it becomes the natural concern of the environmentalist and other social activities engaged in the task of protecting sea and its environment that if ecology and environment of the sea and the adjoining areas are not preserved and protected to the extent possible it will spell doom and cause disastrous effect on the natural wealth of the sea and other marine products. The geoscientists all over the world have forewarned that the global warming will result in raising of sea level which eventually will have catastrophic effect on the existing coastal configuration.
Considering all the salient points mentioned above it has become essential and the primary duty of one and all concerned to protect not only the coastal environment but also to ensure that there is a planned and scientific development of all permitted activities on the costal line without causing any hindrance to the ecology and environment of coastal line.
With above objective in view, “ Coastal environment and ecological conservation committee” has been formed. It is a known fact that population increases constantly every year. However, the extent of ocean area alone remains static and constant. The Katcatheevu Island which was once an integral part of India has also seceded from India. The statistical data reveals the fact that there has been a steady increase in the production of marine products and other sea food over the years except in the air devastated by the Tsunami unparallel to the known history in the recent past. Tamilnadu is no exception to the contribution to the steady increase in the production of marine products. The following statistics will prove the above points.
Fish production in last seven years
| Year | Inland Fish Production | Marine Fish Production | Total Fish Production | Fish seeds Produced | |||||||||
| Inland
(lakh tonnes) |
Growth rate (%) | Marine (lakh tonnes) | Growth rate (%) | Total production
(lakh tonnes) |
Growth
rate (%) |
In million fry | |||||||
| 2004-05 | 35.26 | 1.96 | 27.79 | -5.53 | 63.05 | -1.48 | 20790.64 | ||||||
| 2005-06 | 37.56 | 6.52 | 28.16 | 1.33 | 65.72 | 4.23 | 21988.30 | ||||||
| 2006-07 | 38.45 | 2.37 | 30.24 | 7.39 | 68.69 | 4.52 | 23647.95 | ||||||
| 2007-08 | 42.07 | 9.41 | 29.20 | -3.44 | 71.27 | 3.76 | 24143.57 | ||||||
| 2008-09 | 46.38 | 10.24 | 29.78 | 1.99 | 76.16 | 6.87 | 32177.21 | ||||||
| 2009-10 | 48.94 | 5.52 | 31.04 | 4.23 | 79.98 | 5.02 | 29313.17 | ||||||
| 2010-11 | 49.81 | 1.77 | 32.50 | 4.70 | 82.31 | 2.91 | 34110.83 | ||||||
| 2011-12 | 52.95 | 6.30 | 33.75 | 3.85 | 86.66 | 5.28 | 36566.43 | ||||||
| 2012-13
Provisional |
56.32 | 6.36 | 34.30 | 1.63 | 90.62 | 4.57 | 38196.01 | ||||||
In Tamil Nadu there are 10811 nunbers of country boats, 42,273 numbers of motorized country boats and 6877 numbers of other types of large size mechanized boats in operation. 9.15 lakhs of fishermen are engaged in the fishing business .
The Govt. of Tamilnadu also has been spending crores of rupees every year for the welfare measures of the fishermen community.
In Tamilnadu there are 1001 numbers of fishermen co-operative societies functioning for the welfare of the fishermen community .
The effluent discharge and other industrial waste containing toxic and hazardous substances into the rivers which ultimately join the sea pollute the entire sea water. Despite this kind of pollution taking in place unabated in the sea, there has been a steady increase in the fish production due to the active measures of the Govt. by imposing a ban on sea fishing during reproduction period of the fish in a particular season. Further, action has to be taken by the Govt. to augment the fish production and development of fishing industry. The fishermen must be given proper training to take up other activities also during the off season fishing period. The Govt. should come forward to supply modern and sophisticated fishing boats along with suitable safety equipment.
Prawns , lobsters , shrimp fish and other high value marine products should be directly procured by the Govt. themselves from the fishermen and they should be exported directly through fishermen co-operative societies and Federation. This arrangement is bound to facilitate the fisherman to directly get their due share of profit .
At present the fishermen hamlets remain cut off and disconnected with other parts. Their children also remain illiterate without proper schooling facility available to them. Therefore, these children should be rehabilitated and should be given proper facility to pursue their education. There is no proper road and transport facility available and therefore these are the urgent and immedaite needs to be attended to by the Govt.
At present in Kanyakumari district the mining of placer minerals has been carried out through fishermen co-operative societies on contract basis by M/s. Indian Rare Earths Ltd , Manavalakurichi . This kind of arrangement should be enlarged to the other areas as well so that large section of fishermen community can be provided with gainful employment in the mining activity in other parts as well .
Taking the advantage of the illiteracy and gullibility of the fishermen at large , they are being exploited by their own community people to further their selfish interest. Therefore, eradication of the illiteracy and creating awareness among them are the urgent need of the hour. Therefore, the Govt. should address the basic need of providing proper education to these people and their children. With the above said aim and to protect the interest non only of the fisherman community, but also, to protect of the environment of coastal area, this committee is formed.