A fragile paradise

Functioning as a marine national park since 1989, the protected area in Tamil Nadu’s Gulf of Mannar which extends off the coastline between Tuticorin and Dhanuskodi is a fragile paradise. Although many conservation measures have been adopted, the area has been a traditional source of livelihood for people living along the coastline.

People vs the Reserve

The sensitive nature of the problem has called for management measures that recognise the needs of the people while, at the same time, control the over-exploitation of the environment. The need for special management and conservation strategies to preserve the biological wealth in the Gulf of Mannar, led the biosphere reserve to be selected as one of the few national sites for a detailed study by the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation.Since 1991, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department has taken over all but one of the 21 islands which fall within the park, a couple from private hands. One island (Krusadai) still remains with the State Fisheries Department.Over the years, the Forest Department has made some headway in protecting the area. A considerable check has been introduced on the illicit removal of coral. Rich in calcium carbonate, coral extraction was rampant when it was being procured by a couple of nearby large industries for their manufacturing processes. These companies have been persuaded to source their requirements of calcium carbonate from elsewhere.

Fees or fines — Rs 4 lakh has been collected over the past 10 months — have also been a deterrent for those who engage in coral extraction merely for decoration. According to T.S. Srininvasa Murthy, Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) at Tirunelveli, the Forest Department’s efforts should be given sharper legislative teeth by including coral within the purview of the Wildlife Protection Act.

Deterring coral extractors

Requests that coral be included in Schedule IV of the Act have been pending with the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. Currently, however, the Forest Department is thinking about asking that coral be included in Schedule I of the Act. This would make extraction a more serious crime and offenders would run the risk of both imprisonment and fines.

Mannar is also witness to other economic activity that threatens the biosphere reserve. Principal among them is the collection of seaweed, the removal of which results in damage to the coral reef. With an estimated 1,500 fisherfolk dependent on collecting seaweed, four species of which are used in the food processing and pharmaceutical industries, the issue is a sensitive one. According to R. Krishnamurthy, the park’s wildlife warden, around 20,000 tonne of green seaweed is collected from the Gulf of Mannar every year. At the core of the problem is the Fisheries Department-owned Krusadai, blessed with immense biodiversity. The Forest Department feels that seaweed collection, and other economic activity that threatens the biosphere reserve, will be reduced if it is permitted to take charge of the island.

In the long run, however, any successful conservation strategy will have to not only compensate for the traditional activity of the fisherfolk but also earn their support and cooperation. Around 50,000 people inhabit nearly 50 fishing villages abutting the park area, most of them in Ramnad district. The existence of 33 fish landing centres and a population that is crucially dependent on the biosphere reserve calls for special sensitivity in evolving any management programme.

Preserving the Dugong

The endangered Dugong, also called sea cow because of its bovine appearance, is the symbol of the reserve. Efforts have been made to make local fishermen aware of the need to protect it. This has been absolutely necessary as some fishing communities — particularly those living in the Kilakarai region — regard the rare mammal as a tasty dish. Dolphins, however, are not poached at all.

Trawling activity, which results in the destruction of both flora and fauna, has also had an impact on the sacred chank beds. Used in temples and for religious purposes, chanks from this region are sought after in different parts of the country. The growing export market for sea cucumbers (bech-de-mer) is believed to have resulted in their over-exploitation. Two of the three species, which fetch huge prices in the East Asian countries, are said to be already rare. Another problem is the pressure caused by the concentration of industries around Tuticorin; it is believed that industrial dishcarges have been responsible for adversely affecting the belt of four islands near the town and destroying the seagrass eco-system of the region.Among the suggestions put forward to conserve the biosphere region are the setting up of an artificial seaweed culture project to provide an alternative source of employment for those engaged in its removal. A proposal to cultivate 10 hectare (estimated cost: Rs 1.17 crore for five years) has been forwarded to the Government.

The Forest Department is also considering setting up a `Dugong aquarium’ a natural sanctuary created by fencing off the shallow waters around one of the islands. To begin with, the idea is to acquaint people and make them aware of this rare mammal; in the long run, the `aquarium’ could be used to study the breeding pattern of the Dugong.

To put such proposals to work, the Forest Department has asked for a grant of Rs 150 lakh. While it is far more than the paltry Rs 13 lakh it received last year, it is clear that any serious attempt to restore the biosphere reserve will require a lot more money. Today, the area attracts few visitors, but anyone can see why it is regarded as one of the most unique and ecologically important regions in the country.