[Reader-list] Brushing up old skills to beat the waves

[T Peter]

Coastal areas under threat
Special Correspondent
Date:25/07/2008 URL:
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/25/stories/2008072562100300.htm
Thiruvananthapuram: Panic gripped the coastal areas in the district on
Thursday as strong waves, whipped up by monsoon winds, continued to
pound the beaches for the second day in succession, threatening to
damage houses and displace families along the shoreline.
At Beemapally, Revenue officials began preparations to relocate 15
families whose houses were under threat from the lashing waves.
Tahsildar C.R. Krishnakumar said the families would be shifted to the
Beemapally Government Upper Primary School.

The village officer has been directed to keep a close watch on the
Poonthura coast where residents are preparing to flee to safer places.

Two buildings, a house at Anchengo and a storage shed at Kadakkavur,
were reported damaged in the Chirayinkeezh taluk.

The district administration is gearing up for an emergency situation.
A control room began functioning at the District Collectorate here as
well as at the Thiruvananthapuram, Neyyatinkara and Chirayinkeezh
taluk offices.

In the absence of an integrated strategy for coastal protection,
hundreds of families are forced to endure a harrowing time during the
monsoon when the sea swallows up large stretches of the shore, tearing
down huts, cutting off roads and damaging seawalls.

The beaches in the Kadhinamkulam, Arattumula, Pozhiyoor, Avaduthura,
Poonthura, Valiathura, Cheriyathura and Panathura areas are the most
prone to erosion. Every time the waves rush in, residents begin a
clamour for the construction of sea walls.

Unscientific coastal protection methods and indiscriminate sand
quarrying from riverbeds and beaches have been identified as the
causes for the worsening erosion. Successive governments have
maintained a studied silence in the face of public pressure to evolve
an alternative coastal conservation and development plan.

Ironically, the construction of seawalls, which is the only protection
strategy adopted by the government since 1964, is cited as one of the
major reasons for the worsening erosion.

Scientists point out that construction of sea walls has affected the
entire hydrodynamics of the coast, causing mass migration of several
species of fish to other coasts in search of natural conditions. It is
also blamed for the decline in shore-based fishing activities.

Scientists maintain that the best coastal protection strategy is to
preserve the beach by distancing all developmental activities and
creating a buffer zone for the interplay of land and sea.

"Sea erosion is a temporary phenomenon along the Thiruvananthapuram
coast. The lost beach is naturally restored in about a month's time.
To minimise calamities, inhabitants can be relocated to interior areas
during the monsoon," says M. Baba, director, Centre for Earth Science
Studies (CESS).

T. Peter, president of the Kerala Swathantra Matsya Thozhilali
Federation proposes anticipatory relocation of families from the
erosion- prone areas. Agencies such as the CESS should be entrusted
with the task of mapping the coast to identify vulnerable areas, he
says.


Fish workers to protest against cut in kerosene quota
Date:20/07/2008 URL:
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/20/stories/2008072058450300.htm
Special Correspondent
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Allege that corrupt officials indulge in black marketing

To lay siege to Civil Supplies office on Tuesday
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Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Swathantra Matsya Thozhilali
Federation, representing traditional fish workers in the State, is
embarking on an agitation to protest against the government decision
to cut the allocation of kerosene for outboard engines used to power
boats.

At a press conference here on Saturday, T. Peter, president of the
federation, and Anto Elias, district secretary, alleged that a section
of officials in the Civil Supplies department were trying to deny the
eligible quota of kerosene for fishermen with valid permits.

They said the move was part of a conspiracy hatched by corrupt
officials indulging in black marketing of kerosene.

The leaders of the federation said fishermen were increasingly using
two outboard engines for enhanced power and range, as well to ensure
safety at sea.

Depleting stocks


"The depleting fish stocks in the coastal waters have forced us to
venture out to the deep sea. This warrants the use of bigger and more
powerful boats to cover a larger distance as well as to haul big
nets," Mr. Peter said.

He claimed that the number of accidents at sea had come down
drastically ever since fishermen started using a spare engine for
emergencies, especially during the monsoon period when the sea turned
rough.

"The decision to use a spare engine was the result of a sustained
campaign launched by the government in association with NGOs. It is
ironic that the government is now slashing the quota of kerosene."

The leaders said most fishermen were forced to depend on the black
market to procure their requirement of kerosene.

They urged the government to restore the quantity of kerosene for
fishermen with valid permits.

The federation has announced plans to lay siege to the Civil Supplies
office here on Tuesday to highlight the demand.
Brushing up old skills to beat the waves


Siege postponed
Date:22/07/2008 URL:
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/22/stories/2008072255540600.htm
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Swatantra Matsyathozhilali Federation
has put off the siege of the Civil Supplies office proposed to be
organised by it tomorrow demanding the removal of the irregularities
in the distribution of kerosene for fisheries purpose in the light of
talks which its representatives held with the Civil Supplies Minister
C. Divakaran and the Fisheries Minister S. Sarma. —Special
Correspondent


Brushing up old skills to beat the waves
Date:27/07/2008 URL:
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/27/stories/2008072750360200.htm
Special Correspondent

Thiruvananthapuram: Every year, during the monsoon when the sea turns
rough, traditional fishermen in the district are forced to transport
their boats to the sheltered harbours several kilometres away.

While fishermen from Anchengo to Varkala shift their operations to the
Kollam harbour, those from Maryanad to Pozhiyoor go to Vizhinjam.

The relocation is a difficult and costly affair. At the new venue, the
fishermen have to jostle for space with hundreds of others.
Overcrowding on the beach often leads to tension and frequent
skirmishes. The prohibitive cost of transporting heavy boats by road
and the problems caused by overcrowding at the fishing harbours at
Kollam and Vizhinjam have forced a large number of fishermen to resort
to a new method, albeit risky, to beat the furious waves that prevent
them from launching the vessels from their home turf.

A blend of conventional wisdom and practicality, the ingenious method
involves counting the number of waves to determine the brief lull in
between the crushing breakers.

After a specific number of waves, the sea becomes calm for a short
period lasting just minutes before the next spell whips up huge
breakers.

Youngsters alien to the technique are falling back on experienced
old-timers to acquire the skill needed for the correct judgement.

Most fishermen have now learnt to take advantage of the lull to launch
boats into the choppy sea. "It is a risky affair. The timing is
crucial. Even the slightest miscalculation can lead to disaster," says
Anto Elias, district secretary of the Kerala Swathantra Matsya
Thozhilali Federation. Once the lull has been identified, the boat is
pushed out from the beach to race ahead with the engine at full
throttle. Most boats carry two outboard engines for extra power.

Yet, a wrong judgement could see a breaker crashing over the hull,
breaking up the boat. Repairs could be expensive.

"An accident can result in heavy damage to the boat and fishing
equipment. It can also lead to injuries or loss of life," says J.P.
John, a seasoned fisherman from Thumba who is now busy sharing his
skills with the younger generation.

Today, most fishermen in the district, except those from Poonthura,
launch their boats from the beaches in their locality.

The presence of a seawall at Poonthura hinders fishermen in the area
from venturing out to sea.

"It is a race against time. The boats which put out to sea by 3 p.m.
have to return early morning to catch the day's business. By 7 a.m.,
the procurement on the beach is over and the vendors fan out to
different parts of the city. A faster return means greater profit.
Even a delay of minutes can result in a drastic reduction in the
price. That provides another reason for the experimental technique to
retain the operational base on home turf," says T.Peter, State
president of the Kerala Swathantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation.