Thoothukudi shore seine fishermen say port desalination project is killing their livelihood

More than two hundred fishing families live in the 'Tsunami Colony' area near Muthaiyapuram in Thoothukudi district, where shore seine fishing has been their main livelihood for generations.

The families allege that a seawater desalination project being implemented by V.O.C. Port in the new harbour area of Thoothukudi has severely affected that traditional occupation.

In shore seine fishing, a boat carries a net three to four nautical miles from the shore and spreads it in a 'U' shape; two teams standing on the beach then haul in the roped ends of the net, bringing in fish, crabs and prawns. Men and women work together, and the task takes four to five hours.

The fishermen say rare species such as sea turtles and seahorses caught in the nets are released back into the sea, and they fear the project's intake and discharge will deplete fish stocks along the coast they depend on. They have urged the authorities to review the project and protect their livelihood.