Fishermen Development
The area of operation of KIDS has a vast stretch of coastal areas and is directly and indirectly connected with the fishermen throughout the programmes. The Fishermen Development Department aims at the integrated development of the three categories of fishermen groups namely,
- Traditional Inland Fishermen
- Traditional Marine Fishermen
- Fishermen Labourers in Boats
Different welfare and development programmes have been implemented for the fishermen families of these three categories separately. The fishermen community truly benefit from the different interventions including awareness campaigns on relevant subjects, health insurance, scholarships and children’s libraries, that have an imperative role in the integrated development of these communities.
The major programmes implemented for the sustainable development of the fishermen communities are:
Cage Fish Culture
Cage fish culture is a practice of growing fishes in confined areas which facilitate feeding, harvesting and other management procedures and has been established as an intensive fish farming system, that contribute much to the aquaculture fish production. The project was implemented through Inland fisherman SHGs in Ernakulam and Thrissur Districts. Asian Seabass (Lates calcarifer) was selected for cage culture because of its good market demand and aptness to culture in confined areas. The pioneer intervention of KIDS in Asian Seabass Cage culture in Kerala back waters has become a replicable model for the aquaculture sector in promoting the finfish culture.
Strengths of cage fish culture
Direct benefits
- Eco friendly and intensive farming method for sustainable fish production
- Additional income generating opportunity for poor inland fishers
- Control in feeding and easy management of cages
- Low capital input and minimal operating costs
- Good survival rate
- Easiness in monitoring and treatment of diseases
- Can be adopted to any scale
- Less expensive harvesting
- Harvest as per the requirement of the consumers and will fetch premium price
- Relocation possible to avoid any unfavourable conditions
- Locally available trash fish as feed which reduces the operational costs
Indirect benefits
- Better management and utilization of inland water bodies for high rate of production
- Increase in biodiversity-in terms of fish diversity and flora and fauna- in and around the cage as the culture progress
- Potential for live fish marketing at local markets
- Natural stock enhancement
- Value addition to trash fishes and butchery waste
- Potential for spread of cage culture practices to other parts of Kerala and India
Livelihood insecurity of marine and inland fisher folk
A reduction of fish stock in general can be observed as a global scenario. Unscientific and destructive fishing methods (nets with mesh size less than the standard size are used extensively for larger catches and dynamiting) owes much to the large scale production loss in the recent years. The issue was furthered by the massive destruction caused by Tsunami which devastated the fish breeding grounds. The traditional fishermen, their population always on the increase and with their fishing effort yielding less and less due to the depletion of the fish stock, remain entrenched in poverty. Increase in expenses of fishing with hiking fuel charges and exploitation of the marginal fishermen by the middlemen makes the issue more intense. The high pressure of mechanized and motorized crafts also deprives opportunities for thousands of traditional fishermen who depend solely on this sector for subsistence. When fish catch turns highly unpredictable and variable there is a high imbalance in the expense-profit ratio of an average family where the active fishermen are the only earning members. High fluctuations in the availability and landings and price of fish are thus causing high insecurity of livelihood for the fishermen who are unable to free themselves from the vicious cycle of debt.
Exploitation of indigenous fish varieties
- Market demand and increase in human population is exerting high pressure on indigenous fish varieties like Pearl spot, Mullets, Milkfish, Seabass, Catfishes, Perches, and Rabbit Fish.
- This is coupled with the intensive shrimp culture practices that destroy the natural living and breeding environment of the indigenous fishes.
- Also the destruction of mangroves has immensely affected their breeding and nursery rearing grounds.
- Unscientific and destructive fishing methods have exhausted the indigenous stock of the proposed locality.
Solar Tent Dryers
Even though dry fish is available in the market, all are dried in the unhygienic conditions ie, sun drying in the beaches. The hygienic drying in Solar Tent itself is the punch line for marketing the dry fishes. This is a method by which the sun’s heat is converged and utilized for drying. Converging of solar heat can be effected by using a black surface which absorbs heat far more effectively than a light coloured one. Solar tent driers and cabinet driers work on this principle. The advantage over other drying method is this technique requires limited time for drying, ensure the quality of the product and these products have good demand in markets. The solar unit is constructed using Iron angle, GI pipes, polythene transparent sheet, stainless steel trays, etc. The major innovation in this component is the lesser time required for drying when compared to sun drying. This will increase the productivity and therefore enhanced the income of the beneficiary families.
Value Added Fish Production Units
Value added products out of fish are of high demand in the market at all times. Utilizing this opportunity, KIDS associated with Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) and provided training to the women SHG units of fisher folk community on value added fish production. Financial support through bank linkages was also provided to the eligible units for starting new enterprises in this sector. The locally available cost effective fishery resources are made use for the value addition. The products are sold out in the domestic market through the SHGs marketing division GAYA facilitated by KIDS. The value addition to the locally available fishery resources, together with packing and marketing in a professional manner has raised the demand and sales of these products, benefiting the poor coastal community involved in it.
Green Mussels and Edible Oyster Culture
Using the potential of the back waters, green mussel and edible oyster farming is carried out successfully by the fisherfolk SHGs. The beneficiaries are from the nearby areas of the backwaters because the accessibility is one of the important factors for the successful implementation. Ten units of model Green Mussel and Edible Oyster Culture have been developed for the livelihood security of these fishermen families.
