|
|
|||||
|
ISSN 1108-8931 |
INTERNATIONAL ECOTOURISM MONTHLY |
Year 5-Issue 59, Apr. 2004 |
|||
|
Six of the World's twelve sea grass genera and eleven of the world's 50 species occur here. The GOM has the highest concentration of sea grass species along India's 7500 km coastline. The sea grass beds are some of the largest remaining feeding grounds for the globally endangered sea cow (Dugong dugon). All five species of Marine Turtles - Green - Loggerhead, Olive ridley, Hawksbill and Leather back have been nesting on the Islands. Moreover, it harbours a total of 117 Species of Coral belonging to 37 genera. Coral reefs serve as the spawning grounds for fisheries and Sea grass beds as nursery grounds and Mangroves as shelters from a unique component of life, support systems of coastal biodiversity that relates global benefits and Local needs. However, the Mannar coast is also home to some of the poorest villages in Tamil Nadu, with high unemployment and indebtedness with literacy levels as low as 30%. In total there are around 23,000 fishing households in and around the 90 fishing villages and hamlets in the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, about half of which are coastal. In a vicious poverty circle, the fish stock is depleted, coral reefs are destroyed, there is sea erosion, illegal Garnet sand mining, loss of Mangroves, destructive fishing methods such as dynamite fishing, unregulated exploitation of marine resources by Bottom Trawlers and mechanized boats. The three major environmental threats to the Gulf of Mannar can be summarised as bottom trawling, coral mining, and pollution from chemical industries. Of the three threats, bottom trawling is the most dangerous politically, as it is a conflict between the traditional and mechanised sectors of the fishing industry. Our NGO, East Coast Research & Development, (ECRD) tries to create awareness to the public and the school children, the future generation, about the coral reefs and the precious animal and plant life of GOM, by organising nature clubs in 42 schools, and programs such as "Kids for Mannar", "Kids for Turtles", "Reef Watchers". These programs primarily take place in the coastal village schools of the two Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts but we hope to extend them to all schools and colleges in these two districts. Other activities include erecting bill boards, wall-writing, distributing pamphlets, conducting cultural programs, quiz competitions for school children, commemorating important days such as the world environment day and the International fish workers day in a grand manner. We need to give awareness to them at different levels. If any of the readers is interested in assisting us, please get in touch. Ms. Hemalatha Yazhini works for ECRD, a public charitable Trust, based in Thoothukudi Town (Tamilnadu, South India), constituted for the purpose of protection, preservation and promotion of the Gulf of Mannar and for assisting the workers who are dependent on the Sea for their livelihood and sustenance. Contact: 19/1, Manual Jacob Lane, (Near South Beach Road) THOOTHUKUDI-628001. TAMILNADU, S.INDIA. Phone: +91- 462-2582988. Mobile:+91-98421-54073. |
|||||
|
The opinions expressed in each article belong to their respective authors and are not necessarily those of ECOCLUB S.A. |
|||||
|
Home|Ecolodges|Experts|News|Shop|Community|Chat|Library|Events|Advertise|Join|Recommend |
|||||
|
Copyright © 1999-2004 ECOCLUB S.A. All Rights Reserved. |
|||||
ECO
FOCUS
