Over Exploitation of Fishery Resources and Decline of Community Based Fishery Management in Pulicate Lake, India
Pulicate lake is the second largest brackish water lagoon in India. This lake is spreading south to north across the coastal states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The predominant community of the traditional fishing population is called Pattanavar, majority of whom fish in the sea and called marine fishermen and minority of them fish in backwater called lake fishermen. Others included Scheduled caste, Tribals and Muslims also depend on lake fishing either fully or partially since long time or recently. The lake fishermen who are solely depending on this lake fishing were managing the lake by giving equal opportunities to every eligible lake fisherman with social harmony. Due to careless action of Union Government, by the way of uprooting all the marine fishing villages from the northern end for the establishment of Rocket Launching Station in Sriharikota and dumped at the southern end of Pulicate lake and non-recognition of community traditional management by State Fisheries Department, the exploitation of the lake has been increased. This is clearly indicated by near extinction of shrimps, mullet fish and mud crabs from the lake and conflicts among the various stakeholders. Other factors like the diversion of non-fishing villagers from their traditional profession to lake fishing, industrial impact, decreasing fishing grounds, siltation, lack of professional diversification of fishers and introduction of aquaculture (shrimp and mud crabs) around the lake have fueled the over exploitation resulting in decline of community based fishery management.
Keywords: Pulicate lake, Fishing community, Fishing pressure, Community fishery management
Dr. Balaraman Subramanian
Executive, Coastal Resource Management, South Indian Federation of Fishermen Societies
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Ref: S07P0386