Published: August 8, 2011 11:37 IST | Updated:Hindu Thiruvananthapuram, Puffer fish wreaks havoc Traditional fishermen of Veli, Poonthura suffer heavy loss
Fishermen who set out to sea from several locations in the district on Saturday returned with shredded nets and little or no catch. Shoals of puffer fish prowling the coastal waters are wreaking havoc, damaging fishing nets, preying on other species, and causing heavy loss to traditional fishermen. Fishermen who set out to sea from Veli to Poonthura reported the maximum damage caused by the predatory species. Fish workers estimated that the loss would run into lakhs of rupees. “The net is bitten and shredded to pieces by the puffer fish, leaving fishermen with no option but to buy a new net. Other fish caught in the net are picked clean, leaving only the bones,” said T. Peter, State president, Kerala Swathantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation (KSMTF). Last year, the proliferation of puffer fish was reported from Kollam. The problem usually lasts for a week. Puffer fish is known by several names in local parlance, including ‘yaava,' ‘petha,' and sea frog. It is drawn to the small fish caught in nets. Once it gets entangled in the net, it uses its beak to break free. In the process, the net is often irreparably damaged. Scientists said the migration of puffer fish to coastal waters was a normal phenomenon. A predatory species, it mostly migrated for food. It was endowed with a hard, sharp beak instead of teeth. Local fishermen, however, suspected that the sudden emergence of puffer fish in large numbers was triggered by the resumption of trawling after the monsoon ban. They believed that the seabed disturbance caused by bottom trawling could be driving them to migrate to the coastal waters. ‘‘Puffer fish feed mainly on the mussels and shellfish that inhabit coral reefs, cracking them open with their sharp beaks. The decline in the shellfish population, post tsunami, could be another factor that had led them to migrate to new areas,'' Mr. Peter said. Yet another reason, fish workers said was the practice of dumping coconut peduncles off the coast to create an artificial reef that acted as breeding ground for several commercially important species, including the squid. A section of fishermen opposed to the practice believed that such peduncle reefs attracted puffer fish along with squid. The simmering tension between the groups had often led to open hostility, threatening peace in the coastal areas. Call for scientific study The federation called for a scientific study to assess the reason for the proliferation of puffer fish. It also demanded a special package to compensate fishermen for the losses. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send an email to greenyouth@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to greenyouth+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB.