06-bioresourcesstatu.. - M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation

iii. Potential threat to the local bio-resource
dependent populations
The problems and threats of the Pulicat Lake
could be three-dimensional pollution, sea erosion,
and loss of livelihoods. Discharges of
petrochemical, fertilizer, and pesticide industries,
sewage and thermal power stations into the
Buckingham Canal reduces fresh water inflow and
periodic closure of the lake's mouth.
A decade ago they used to catch 3000 kgs of fish
per day while today even in a whole season they
cannot get more than 10 kgs. Prawns and mullets
take a major share. Once on an average 1200
tones of fish and crustaceans were harvested.
There is a steep drop in the catch lif fish, prawns,
mullets and crabs since 1970. The birds are also
threatened as a result of fishing even tiny fish fry
and fingerlings, which form chief food of nestlings
are getting depleted. Even some of the voracious
pelicans, are also captured by fisher folk for food.
On sea erosion Ennore Satellite port has started
washing away parts of the villages Koraikuppam
and Sathankuppam. The fisherfolk fear that the
erosion of the sand bar is a direct threat to their
livelihood as the lake ecosystem would disappear
and merge with the Bay of Bengal.
Uncontrolled fishing by seafood export companies
that even harvest brood stocks of hatchery is one
of the main reasons of biodiversity loss.
Unscientific aquaculture for gross commercial
gains, pumping out the lake water and
discharging it back as polluting effluents is
another cause for concern. The effluents reduce
the number of aquatic organisms and interfere
with bird breeding. Rapid siltation has also caused
loss of biodiversity. Loss of mangroves may be one
Pulicat Lake
of the reasons hastening siltation, reducing
biodiversity and hence depriving fisherfolk of their
livelihood.
VII. Conservation and Management Efforts
Conservation and management efforts had been
initiated during 1980's. The Government of India,
declared Pulicat Lake as a wild life sanctuary in
1980. In accordance with the Environmental
(protection) Act, 1986 it classified the coastal
stretch within 500 meters of the high tide line
(HTL) into Categories I, to IV, and declared in
1991 as Coastal Regulation Zone. According to
Coastal Regulation Zone notification "the coastal
stretches of seas, bays, estuaries, creeks, rivers
and backwaters influenced by tidal action in the
landward side up to 500 meters from the high tide
line and the low tide line are classified as CRZ I".
The CRZ I regions must be protected by law. As
per this notification, the entire Pulicat water
system, including the lagoon, the Ennore creek
and Buckingham Canal, is designated CRZ 1.
i. Applicable Protection Acts
In the present context there are around ten Acts,
which could be directly applied for the protection
of the Pulicat Lagoon ecosystems (Table 9).
The International Union for the Conservation of
Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) proposed
Pulicat lagoon system as Ramsar site of
international importance. World Wide Fund for
Nature declared the same as protected area.
ii. Government Organisations (GO), Non
Government Organisations (NGO) and other
groups involved in conservation and
management efforts of Pulicat Lake
Number of organisations are involved in
conservation and management of Pulicat Lake
Table 9. Applicable Protection Acts of Government of India during different periods
SINO ACTS YEAR
1 ForestConservationAct1980MarineProductsDevelopmentAuthority 1972
2 IndianForestAct 1972
3 Water(Preventionand ControlofPollution)Act 1974
4 MarineZonesof India(Regulationof Fishingby Foreignvessels) 1980
5 TamilNaduFishingRegulationAct 1981
6 Environment(Protection)Act 1986
7 FishermanAct 1987
8 TheCoastalRegulationZone(CRZ)Notification 1991
9 WildlifeProtectionAct1972andwildlife(Protection)AmendmentAct 1991
10 TheAquacultureAuthorityBill 1997
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