CHENNAI: At 9.30 am on Sunday, marine biologist and qualified scuba diver Diksha Dikshit was checking a few reef areas off Muthukadu coast to document their health. One of the sites was Karikattukuppam, where the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) had deployed Improvised Fish Aggregating Devices (IFAD) or artificial reefs made of concrete to help improve fish stock for the benefit of artisanal fishermen.
What was found, however, was not a thriving marine ecosystem, but a blanket of trawl nets covering every inch of the reef. The Karikattukuppam site is just three km from the shore and finding so many discharged trawl nets here, each weighing over 100 kg, shows trawlers are constantly violating Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 2016, which prohibits trawling within five nautical miles of the shore.
Diksha, who works for DIVEIndia, is teaming up with Kovalam-based entrepreneur and professional angler Hanif Mohammed to monitor multiple reef sites, both natural and artificial, in Muthukadu region.
They intend to collect photographic evidence, generate datasets, and share them with authorities who can intervene and carry out a clean-up.
After completing a two-hour recce, Diksha told TNIE that the quantity of trawl nets and other waste like plastics found in the reefs was alarmingly high. For instance, in the Karikattukuppam site, trawl nets have just engulfed the entire reef area. “Except for some small fish, there was no other marine life. The trawl nets will just kill or shove-off big predatory fishes, which are of commercial value for traditional fishermen. There were no corals as well.” Hanif Mohammed said trawling is a menace in Kovalam, which is home to some of the best scuba diving spots. Trawlers, with their heavy nets, scrape the ocean floor off all the life forms therein. “The fine mesh net doesn’t let even juveniles and, sometimes eggs and larvae, escape. I am planning to organise a few more dives later this week to gather more evidence.”
An official in the rank of assistant director at the State Fisheries Department told TNIE that a lot of trawlers from Cuddalore and Karaikal have been repeatedly violating rules and fishing within five nautical miles. “The trawlers do not have registration numbers, making it difficult for us to identify its owners,” the official said.
CMFRI Scientist Joe K Kizhakudan, who deployed IFADs on behalf of the Fisheries Department in 30 different locations in and around Chennai, said the State government should develop a stringent mechanism to deter these trawlers from entering restricted waters. Otherwise, the whole objective of creating a chain of artificial reefs will be defeated.
“This problem persists from Chennai to Ramanathapuram. Traditional fishermen are not empowered and the trawlers, although fewer in numbers, are getting away. After deploying IFADs, I have formed local village committees and given them a template to report any trawler violation to the assistant directors of the fisheries department,” he said.
The State government, with the technical assistance from CMFRI, has deployed a total of 6,000 units of artificial reefs, weighing 5,250 metric tonnes. A preliminary assessment conducted recently showed aggregation of juvenile fishes in all the 30 sites. The underwater visuals showed the presence of commercial fish varieties like scads, trevallies, perches, barracudas, seerfish, breams, snappers, groupers, mackerel, cobia etc. However, the stocks can quickly deplete if trawling is not prevented.