PROGRAM PROFILE ‘Sustainable Fisheries’ A component of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Coastal Disaster Risk Reduction Program (CDRRP) Fisheries Livelihood Support Enabling coastal communities to stay resilient to disasters and the fisheries - sustainable. FOCUS AREA PROGRAM OVERVIEW Coastal districts of Tamil Tamil Nadu and Nadu and the Union Puducherry together Territory of Puducherry. have a coastal length of 1095 kms. This AIM: Improvement of fisheries’ sustainability coastal region is densely through upgrading infrastructure, provision of populated with 50% of work shelters, modernization of fishing harbors the population living and fish markets, developing an approach for co-management of fisheries and addressing in the 13 coastal districts of Tamil Nadu, safety at sea. while two-third of the total population of A Puducherry lives along the coast. Fishing and DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVE: Implement related activities provide livelihood to about local reform process to support improved 200,000 families in this region. However, performance in the marine fisheries sub-sector, the coastal population and economic assets significantly affect the coastal population and with an aim to reduce their vulnerability to characterized by more sustainable flow of are vulnerable to multiple hazards including the risks are likely to increase. disasters. Sustainable Fisheries is one of the social and economic benefits to coastal fisheries cyclones, storm surges, coastal floods and In 2013, the World Bank assisted Coastal components of CDRRP, under which the communities and a healthy marine environment. tsunamis. The coastal areas also face threats Disaster Risk Reduction Project (CDRRP) fisheries’ sector will be supported during the of rise in sea-levels, shoreline erosions, salt which was launched by the Government project period from June 2013 to July 2018. IMPLEMENTATION AGENCY: water intrusion, depletion of ground water of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The focus • Tamil Nadu: Fisheries Department resources, degradation of mangroves and of CDRRP is to increase the resilience of • Puducherry: The Department of Revenue increasing commercial development pressures. coastal communities to a range of hydro- & Disaster Management (DR&DM). Such natural and man-made hazards meteorological and geophysical hazards A. Fishing harbor, Pazhayar, Nagapattinam district 2-3 Uppanar river bar mouth in Nagapat- has a waste water and sewage treatment tinam district. plant, waste management system, toilets for • Establishing one tube ice plant and men and women, LED lighting, parking area chilling room at Chinnamuttom fishing for vehicles and an administrative block. A habour in Kanyakumari district. new ice plant and a petrol and diesel pump • Reconstruction and modernization of are currently being set up. fishing harbor at Mallipatnam, and permanent stability of coastal inlet at Punnakayal village in Thoothukudi district. • Under Fisheries Management and Sustainable Livelihoods (FIMSUL II) -- Provision of wireless communication system for the safety of fishers at sea. B -- Implementation of fisheries co- management. -- Improved capacities and knowledge management. C SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES The focus areas of the sustainable -- Fisheries livelihood and management (USD 59.2 Million) fisheries includes upgrading fisheries support. Project Activities in infrastructure, developing an approach for Madhavi with her children at Nagore FLC Tamil Nadu co-management of fisheries and addressing PROJECT HIGHLIGHT | Tamil Nadu fishers’ safety at sea. Fish Landing Centre (FLC) at Nagore, “Earlier, we would sometimes control the Nagapattinam district urge to answer nature’s call, because we had Tamil Nadu has 591 marine villages inhabited Major Activities to leave our work in search of open places. by 9.15 lakh fishermen. The fisheries Nagore is a major fish production centre Here we have toilet facility for women with sector not only provides livelihood to the • Construction of fish landing centres close to the Vettar estuary in Nagapattinam water supply. We have privacy. The place is community of fisher-folks engaged directly at Nagore in Nagapattinam district, district. To augment the fisheries activities a well lit, so it is safe at night.” in fishing activities but also caters to a much Portonovo - Annankoil in Cuddalore new fish landing centre has been constructed larger population engaged in other fishing district, Mallipatnam in Thanjavur district. with a 200-meter long berthing facility related activities — selling, transporting, • Reconstruction and modernization of that can safely anchor 350 fiber boats. processing and others. The 2004 Indian two fishing harbors at Pazhayar and The FLC has processing, storing facilities, Ocean Tsunami devastated fishers’ livelihoods Nagapattianam in Nagapattinam district. net mending sheds, designated places B. Fishing harbor, Pazhayar, Nagapattinam district and damaged most of its 3 major and 17 • Providing permanent opening of Vellar for cutting, cleaning, washing of fish and C. Madhavi with her children at Nagore fish non-major ports. river bar mouth in Cuddalore district and storage rooms with locking facility. The FLC landing centre 4-5 Sustainable Fisheries The building has storage rooms, meeting (USD 22.8 Million) hall, multipurpose hall and a crèche for the Project Activities in convenience of fishers. A separate space for Puducherry auction hall is also available. The market has an ice-plant with a 10-tonne capacity. The facility has an effluent treatment plant for Puducherry has a fishermen population of treatment of waste water which will be used about 1,00,000 engaged in fishing. The for gardening in the market premises. A 10- Fisheries Sector is an important source of liveli- KV solar power plant has been provided. hood to a large extent of the society. A total of 17 works have been proposed and planned. D. Puducherry Modern Hygienic Fish Market on D East Coast Road Major Activities E. Multi-purpose hall at Puducherry Modern Hygienic Fish Market • Modernization of fishing harbors at Puducherry and Karaikal • Provisions of Work Shelters for safe PROJECT HIGHLIGHT | Puducherry: keeping of Out Board Motors (OBM), Modern Hygienic Fish Market fishing gears, and net mending sheds. In addition, solar fish drying units and Puducherry Modern Hygienic Fish Market electrically operated winches for hauling at Lawspet on East Coast Road is an catamarans are provided. achievement in terms of safe and hygienic • Improvements to the existing fish market fish storage, processing and selling practices in Puducherry at Saram and Goubert in adherence to the international standards. market as well as construction of modern The market was constructed at a cost of hygienic fish market. INR. 13 crores. The fish market has an area • Under Fisheries Management and of 37,886 square feet and has centralized Sustainable Livelihoods (FIMSUL II). air-conditioning. It has two floors with 110 -- Implementation of marine fisheries air-conditioned stalls. The ground floor will co-management. be used for selling ‘high value’ fish and the -- Improved capacity and knowledge first floor for selling ‘low value’ fish. Both management. these floors have facilities for dressing, E -- Fisheries livelihood and management cutting, cleaning and washing, as well as support. cold storage facility. 6-7 Good Practices | International Standards safe, clean and hygienic practices in compliance in Fish Production with international standards. The following are some good practices implemented: The fish production centres at Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are major seafood producers • Raised handling platforms have been in India. To adhere with the international constructed next to where fish lands and standards for seafood processing, storage and where fish containers are handled to export, providing modern infrastructure has avoid fish contamination. been a key focus area of this project. Existing • Elevated platforms have been provided fisheries infrastructure is being renovated in fish cleaning and cutting areas for G keeping this in mind and new facilities are hygienic handling of fish. being created to ensure safe, hygienic, • High grade seamless and non-skid epoxy sustainable and environment-friendly practices. flooring has been provided to avoid Cold storage, ice plants for fish preservation bacterial contamination from bacterial with modern ice manufacturing facility within deposition in floor crevices and will be Challenges also needs to be initiated at the earliest before the premises, hygienic auction halls, adequate resistant to chemicals, disinfectants, these facilities become fully operational. In clean water supply, designated places to clean shock and impact. One of the main challenges to ensure that addition, fishers, management bodies, and and cut fish and good storage facilities are • Provision of high pressure jets for facilities being provided under the CDRRP other stakeholders also need to be trained in being provided. cleaning of fish containers and fish are operational and being maintained, is the asset management and maintenance to ensure In all the new Fish Landing Centres (FLCs) and storing and handling crates. formation of fisheries co-management bodies. long term sus-tained hygienic environment and harbors, great care has been given to ensure • Proper drainage systems for used water. Each of these new facilities should have a fish production. managing body comprising of members from The Puducherry Modern Hygienic Fish the fishing community, representatives from the Market faces the challenge of creating a fisheries department and the District Collector list of beneficiaries for stall-allotment. The F or Assistant Collector as the chairman. These facility which is ready to be used remains fisheries co-management bodies have not unutilized due to this delay. The World Bank been formed yet in most places. As a result team has stressed on the need to identify maintenance of these facilities is either absent agencies at each of the facilities for efficient or inadequate. For the Tamil Nadu facilities at management and maintenance. Nagore, Annankoil and Pazhayar, formation of a fisheries co-management body that can levy and collect user charge as well as redress F. Fisherman Murugan with his catch, Nagore Fish Landing Centre, Nagapattinam district grievances is still pending. Consultation with G. Fish landing centre at Nagore, Nagapattinam fishers to finalize the rates for user charge district (compost pits in the foreground) 8-9 H KARTHIBAN, Nallavadu Fish Landing The Way Forward with the international standards. Several of Centre in Puducherry these measures will also ensure safety of The provision of fish landing centres, fishers’ life, property and livelihoods, more “We have about 250 boats here. We harbors, fish markets, auction halls equipped sustainable flows of social and economic usually go fishing in a group of four with modern technology, provision of benefits to coastal fisheries communities and people per boat. So, about a 1000 adequate facilities and infrastructure under ensure a healthy marine environment. fishermen come and go daily. We are the CDRRP is well appreciated by the local finding this fish landing centre very useful communities. This will enable the fishing for our work. We can store our nets and community in the region to increase their I H. Boats at the Pazhayar fishing harbor in other fishing gear. There are rooms with fisheries production as well as store, manage, Nagapattinam district locking facility.” process and export products in adherence I. Karthiban, Fisherman, Nallavadu, Puducherry 10 - 11 Fish landing centre at Nagore, Nagapattinam district February, 2017.