CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) is set to establish collection centres in 12 coastal districts to manage abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG).
This initiative aims to address the growing environmental threat posed by discarded fishing nets, which entrap marine life, leading to injury, suffocation, and death of various species, including fish and turtles.
According to TNPCB officials, these nets eventually degrade into smaller particles, contributing to microplastic pollution, which presents long-term risks to marine ecosystems and human health.
The Tamil Nadu coastline, a crucial nesting site for the endangered Olive Ridley turtles, has seen numerous turtle deaths due to entanglement in abandoned fishing nets.
The collection centres will be set up as part of the Tamil Nadu Fishnet Initiative (TNFI) under the TN-SHORE project (Tamil Nadu State Coastal Habitat and Resources Environment Management).
This initiative focuses on sustainable coastal development, enhancing coastal ecosystem resilience, and improving the livelihoods of coastal communities.
Under TNFI, agencies appointed by the board will not only collect and recycle abandoned fishing gear but also offer incentives to fishermen for handing over discarded nets and other marine waste.
These incentives will be based on current market rates.
Additionally, the agencies will conduct thorough assessments at selected sites to quantify discarded nets and marine litter generated.
Importantly, the revenue generated from collecting discarded fishing nets will be used exclusively for providing incentives, as well as for the operation and maintenance of the collection centres.
Plastic waste in marine environments has become a major social and ecological concern. Lost, abandoned, and discarded fishing gear significantly contributes to this problem, causing environmental and socio-economic damage.
Fishing nets left in the sea can drift ashore, spoiling the natural scenery, entangling ship propellers, posing hazards to vessels, catching fish, and reducing fishery resources through “ghost fishing.”
This can harm marine life, including sea turtles, seabirds, and other endangered species, either by entanglement or ingestion.
Most fishing equipment is designed to be durable and does not easily decompose in the sea. For instance, nylon fishing lines can take over 600 years to break down naturally. Similarly, brittle materials like Styrofoam disintegrate quickly into microplastics, further polluting the ocean.
Given that ALDFG accounts for a significant portion of marine plastic waste, targeted measures are crucial in tackling this issue as part of broader efforts to combat plastic pollution.
The TNPCB’s initiative is a vital step toward sustainable coastal management and marine conservation.