Artificial reefs give hope to India's tsunami fishermen

The tsunami not only had an impact on the human population of South India ”“ it also severely depleted fish stocks, causing further misery to communities already traumatized by the disaster. Now, in the first initiative of its kind in India, Oxfam partner CEE is creating artificial fish habitats to boost the fish population and with it the livelihoods of vulnerable coastal communities.

The Center for Environment Education (CEE), an Oxfam Partner in South India, has been creating Artificial Fish Habitats (AFH) in the coastal belt of Karaikal to increase the fish population.

Any material that is put into the sea, whether it floats or sinks, will provide a substratum for algae to be formed. Fish come to feed on the algae, and they in turn are prey for larger fish. This is something that traditional fisher folk along this coast have known for a long time.

They used to attach pieces of wood to something secure, from catamarans to concrete blocks, and place them in the sea to promote the growth of algae and seaweed. These pieces of wood served as an AFH but only lasted three to four months, meaning it was a continuous process for the fishermen to keep installing such devices in the sea.

Locally manufactured

Now CEE has designed a reef ball AFH which can be manufactured locally to reduce costs. These are solid structures that can withstand strong currents when placed in the sea and which promote the formation of coral reefs. The help to increase the size of fish catch without the need to venture further out to sea, with the added benefit of reducing fuel costs.

The cost of manufacturing and positioning one such AFH is 6,500 rupees ($165). Fifty units are being deployed by CEE to benefit around 500 fishing families living in 4 villages on the coast of Karaikal.

Technical advice has been given by the National Institute of Ocean Technology, which estimates that in two years' time, the catch will increase by 30 times. It believes each unit will last at least 50 years.

First of its kind

CEE's initiative is the first of its kind in India, and it has worked in close coordination with the government's fisheries department to ensure there are no trawlers operating in the area.For months after the tsunami, the fishermen stayed away from the sea out of fear. Even when they had returned, they found that their catch had been considerably reduced.

Now, thanks to Artificial Fish Homes, they are hoping that times of plenty are near again.