Cultured farming ventures to uplift fisher families' lives

by P. Krishnaswamy

As a predominantly fisheries region,with thousands of fish species and pearl-oysters in the Gulf of Mannar, the Mannar district was thriving all along past history of the country, until terrorism raised its ugly face three decades ago ravaging, mainly, the Northern and Eastern provinces. During the height of the war on terrorism, the government imposed a multitude of security measures, including sea security zones and restrictions of fishing.

While the fisher families of the Northern and Eastern provinces which consisted of 60 percent of the island-nation's coastline were affected immensely in all respects and were reduced to destitution, poachers from across the Palk Strait took advantage of the situation and plundered the marine resources of the Northern and Eastern Tamil fishermen.The fishermen of the Mannar district had the worst impact because the district is close to the Southern tip of India and the bay in between is comparatively very narrow.

In 1980 fishing industry in the North accounted for 100,000 metric tons. By 2009 that figure was a dismal 15,000 mt, according to fisheries sources.

Programs

Since the eliminating of terrorism from the face of the country in May 2009, the Government has made concerted efforts to restore the industry in the North and East and the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has implemented many far-reaching programs for the fishermen's welfare. Infrastructure facilities and assistance such as fishing vessels, other fishing gear, fuel subsidy and vessel monitoring system have been provided by the Ministry. Pension schemes, insurance schemes and compensation schemes have also been implemented by the Ministry , the resources said.

Fishermen's representatives in Mannar told the Sunday Observer that in spite of the Government's concerted efforts and all facilities, their income from fishing is dwindling progressively due mainly to poaching, harassments by the poachers and damages done to their fishing gear. Fisher families find it difficult to have one square meal a day, under the prevailing circumstances, they said. Until the situation improves, they have no alternative but to think of other ways of eking out a living and, under the advice and assistance from the Fisheries Ministry, the National Aquaculture Development Authority of Sri Lanka (NAQDA) and other authorities, their fishermen's unions are venturing into cultured farming of prawns, sea bass, sea cucumber, ornamental fish, sea weed and certain varieties of export-oriented fish, they said. Prawn culture projects are also to be started, they said.

With investments from prospective investors and the support of the government, these could be developed for the benefit of the fisher families as well as the investors, they said.

President of the Federation of Mannar District Fishermen's Associations, Justin Soysa, said that in the 80s the fishermen were able to go into the sea four or even five km and they their marine resources were free from poaching or any destructive methods of fishing. As a result, they had a very good harvest.

They built houses and bought jewellery and other household goods.

The season was from October to May every year with no tidal waves or strong winds. Their fishermen went fishing in the sea areas from Talaimannar Pier to Mullikulam and Mannar to Mullikulam without any hindrances, Soysa said. They prospered and contributed to the national fish production as well. Although there were cordon and search operations, those never affected the fishermen.

Damaged

Even after 1985 when the war on terrorism was intensifying, the fishermen did not face any major problems. But after 1990 the situation deteriorated and they could not even venture into the sea. While poaching and destructive methods of bottom trawler fishing had considerably damaged the coral gardens, which are fish breeding grounds, the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami also destroyed coral gardens and uprooted rocks at seabed which have contributed to the depletion of fish resources, he said. The gas emitted from gas cylinders used for fishing also have done considerable damage to the fish breeding process, Soysa said.

They have proposals to introduce the cultured farming system in Devanpiddy, Pappamoddai, Mannar town areas and in the areas from Thiruketheeswaram to Erukkalampiddy, Soysa said.

Secretary of the Mannar District Fisheries Federation Abdhul Azeez Rahim, President of the Pallimunai Fisheries Cooperative Society Sarath Gerard Vithanage, Secretary of the Talaimannar Fishermen's Cooperative Society Mohamed Shabir and Secretary of the Panangattikottai Cooperative Society Gregory Anton Shankar who had expressed similar views with regard to the plight of the fishermen expressed optimism that the cultured farming ventures would help towards improving the living standard of the fisher families.