Fish catch drops as Pulicat Lake gasps for breath

District administration, fisheries wing join hands to save the situation

There has been a steady decline in fish wealth in the lake.

The formation of excessive silt has led to the closure of sea mouth at Rayadoruvu in Nellore district leading to decline in fish wealth in the Pulicat lake.

Local fishermen are a worried lot with the catch coming down by 30 to 40 % in over a decade and a half. Last year, it was mere 2,000 tonnes. Prior to 2005, the fishermen used to catch more than 3,000 tonnes per year and fish wealth started depleting slowly afterwards because of gradual closure of sea mouth and changes in levels and salinity of the water.

In recent years, a rapid decline in fish wealth is noticed in the lake on which depends the livelihood of more than 20,000 fishermen’ families living in the 17 ‘kuppams’ (lake villages) located inside and on the outer edges of the water body.

Consequently, these fishermen are forced to go to the southern side of the lake in Tamil Nadu where fish is plenty and water level is deeper because of an active, open sea mouth there. But this has led to law and order problems with clashes erupting between the two groups on several occasions.

DPR ready

To address the problem, the district administration along with the Fisheries Department came up with the proposal of desilting the lake at Rayadoruvu on the AP side.

District Collector R. Mutyala Raju took up the issue with the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) and got a Detailed Project Report (DPR) prepared on the sea-opening project. “These works will require funds to the tune of ₹ 48 crore. The Sriharikota space centre has given its clearance. This project will permanently solve problems of Pulicat fishermen,” said A. Solomon Raju, Joint Director, Fisheries Department, Nellore.

There is another sea mouth at Thettupeta close to Sriharikota, but the officials have decided not touch it keeping in mind security issues.