The Malabar Natural History Society has urged J. Mercykutty Amma, Minister for Fisheries, to evacuate all the fishing vessels from the area to restore the pristine environment of the Kadalundi-Vallikunnu Community Reserve.
In a memorandum addressed to the Minister, the society said that removing the vessels from Kadalundi estuarine was very much essential for the conservation of the estuarine biodiversity, birdlife and the general ecology of the area.
The Kadalundi-Vallikunnu Community Reserve, established in 2007, is the only community reserve in Kerala, and is well known for the conservation of migratory birds, it said.
The lush green mangrove patches in the estuary and the mudflats exposed during the low tides provide potential foraging ground for several hundred wintering shorebirds, gulls, and terns as well as resident waterfowls.
In the recent past, the pristine estuarine areas of the reserve were used for unauthorised landing for a large number of fishing vessels. Even though the authorised fish landing centres are located nearby at Chaliyam, Beypore, Parappanangadi, and Thanur, many of them are finding this place as permanent fish landing centre, though Kadalundy estuarine area is not an authorised fish landing centre for marine fishing vessels.
Oil spill
The waste and the oil spills generated from the fishing boats have already affected the growth of the mangroves and the bird life of the area. Even at the peak of the migratory season (September to March), birds and other life forms are very few in this mudflat this year due to pollution and disturbances by the unauthorised landing of a large number of fishing vessels, the society said.
