RAMESWARAM: In order to encourage promotion of square-mesh cod end in shrimp trawling, the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) organised a stakeholder consultation on Friday at Thangachimadam Village Resource Centre in Rameswaram. According to a study conducted by MSSRF in association with the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) Cochin, Fisheries Department and the fishermen associations in Mandapam, Rameshwaram and Kottaipattinam harbours, the use of square mesh cod-ends in shrimp trawling operations considerably reduces bycatch and improves sustainability.
Dr GN Hariharan, MSSRF executive director, was the chief guest of the programme. He released a Tamil handbook on ‘Voluntary Code of Practice (CoP) on flower shrimp management in Palk Bay region’. “Legal compliance and sustainable fishing practices is the base for developing the voluntary code of practice. By adopting the practices described in this code, the fishermen can secure a healthy shrimp stock, minimising marine ecosystem degradation,” he said, adding that MSSRF uses the participatory bottom-up approach, obtaining catch data from the fishers for decision-making and research.
According to Dr S Velvizhi, Head of MSSRF Fish for All Centre in Poompuhar, the square mesh cod-ends with a size of 25 mm (12.5mm bar length) was the most effective among the three Bycatch Reduction Devices (BRDs) tested. It also increased the commercial catch when compared to the control net in flower shrimp trawling. On an average, the reduction in the bycatch was about 3-5 kg per hour of operation, which is incredibly significant. The filtered catch comprises juveniles from commercially important species, which if allowed to grow, can fetch nearly three to four times more than the price it fetches when released from the bycatch.
Dr Tamilmani, scientist in-charge at CMFRI, Mandapam and Dr Kathavarayan, Ramanathapuram fisheries department deputy director addressed the importance of sustainable fisheries. More than 100 fishermen association leaders participated in the event and shared their views and experiences in the research trials. 25-mm square mesh cod-end, suitable for flower shrimp trawling, was distributed to 75 selected master volunteers. They also agreed to provide commercial catch data after using square mesh cod-end for further analysis and decision-making.