India – The ICAR- Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has successfully implemented Government of India’s Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan (SCSP) project in such a way that helped the SC families in Puthukudi village, Thondi, Thiruvadanai Taluk in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu to empower themselves through seaweed and marine ornamental fish farming. In a major success story, the Mandapam Regional Centre ofICAR-CMFRI already made this villagers capable of earning an additional income of Rs 96,000 annually through seaweed farming which is a highly desired farming practice by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for the prosperity of the coastal community, and the Institute’s efforts are underway to help them reap profit through other forms of mariculture like marine ornamental fish seed rearing.
Seaweed farming
Located near the sea shore, Puthukudi village has 97 per cent of SC families (Kadiayar community) in the total village population and majority of them involved in fishing in Palk Bay. The ICAR-CMFRI launched the initiative of empowering the villagers through SCSP by giving them an awareness-cum-training programme on mariculture technologies for diversified livelihood in September 2019. A total of 28 fishers in 10 groups, were selected for undertaking seaweed farming of Kappaphycus alvarezii under the SCSP component of the Institute, AINP on Mariculture and NICRA projects. The Puthukudi coastal area is less in wave action, shallow depth and less planktivorous fishes, which are ideal for monoline seaweed method. Each fisher was given 20 monoline units. The cost for making one monoline unit is Rs.1,600/- and the entire cost for making 575 monoline units was borne under the SCSP component of the projects. Seaweed farming of Kappaphycus alvarezii was initiated during the second week of November, 2019 with 20 monoline units. The total fresh seaweed production from three cycles was around 90 tonnes. Since entire start-up cost was met under the SCSP project and each fisher will earn Rs.96,000/- annually around Rs.10,000/- per month with five crops in a year depending on the climatic conditions.
Marine ornamental fish culture
A total of 18 fisherwomen in 6 groups, were selected for undertaking marine ornamental fish seed rearing under the SCSP component of Institute and AINP on Mariculture. The Mandapam Regional Centre of ICAR-CMFRI had established six sheds (each 216 sq.ft. area) along with all accessories. Initially two sheds were commissioned by Shri. K. Muraleedharan, Member, Institute Management Committee of ICAR-CMFRI in the presence of Dr. R. Jayakumar, Scientist-in-Charge, scientists of Mandapam Regional Centre and fishers of Puthukudi village on 3rd June 2020. The Mandapam Regional Centre of ICAR-CMFRI has provided 600 numbers of clown fishes in 3 varieties to each group (total of 1,200 clown fishes of 2cm size). The SHG will become capable of selling the fishes after rearing about 30-45 days. A group can earn around Rs.30,000/- per month.
The ICAR-CMFRI also helped the beneficiaries linking themselves with the marketers for both seaweed and marine ornamental fish sale. Joint bank account for each group was opened at Canara Bank, Thondi. This is the first Government livelihood improvement initiative for fishers in the Puthukudi village. The fishermen are hopeful that the income through these diversified livelihood options will be very useful in improving their standard of living.
Source: ICAR-CMFRI
