Poverty, Inequality and Natural Resources Degradation

The present study is an attempt to understand the link between natural resource degradation and poverty among people dependent on these resources. This is done by examining the impact of depletion of marine resources on the livelihood and socio-economic condition of the small-scale marine fishery community in South Kerala. In Kerala, nearly ten lakh fisherfolk depend on the marine fishery resources for their livelihood. The overall level of education of the small-scale fishing community is lower than that of the State’s rural population. Almost all the households surveyed, is one way or other, depend on fishery resources for livelihood. Low levels percapita income and high levels of inequality imply the existence of a large proportion of poor people in the community who are vulnerable to external shocks. The study reveals that poverty was comparatively higher among households with no fishing assets, with only one earner, with more than two children, and depending entirely on pensions/remittances. The study has not provided any evidence to show that poverty in the community is the result of depletion of marine resources.

Coastal Upwelling of the South Eastern Arabian Sea - An Integrated Approach

Upwelling regions occupies only a small portion of the global ocean surface. However it accounts for a large fraction of the oceanic primary production as well as fishery. Therefore understanding and quantifying the upwelling is of great importance for the marine resources management. Most of the coastal upwelling zones in the Arabian Sea are wind driven uniform systems. Mesoscale studies along the southwest coast of India have shown high spatial and temporal variability in the forcing mechanism and intensity of upwelling. There exists an equatorward component of wind stress as similar to the most upwelling zones along the eastern oceanic boundaries. Therefore an offshore component of surface Ekman transport is expected throughout the year. But several studies supported with in situ evidences have revealed that the process is purely recurring on seasonal basis. The explanation merely based on local wind forcing alone is not sufficient to support the observations. So, it is assumed that upwelling along the South Eastern Arabian Sea is an effect of basin wide wind forcing rather than local wind forcing. In the present study an integrated approach has been made to understand the process of upwelling of the South Eastern Arabian Sea. The latitudinal and seasonal variations (based on Sea Surface Temperature, wind forcing, Chlorophyll a and primary production), forcing mechanisms (local wind and remote forcing) and the factors influencing the system (Arabian Sea High Saline Water, Bay of Bengal water, runoff, coastal geomorphology) are addressed herewith.

Heterotrophic bacteria from the continental slope sediments of arabian sea

The marine environment is indubitably the largest contiguous habitat on Earth. Because of its vast volume and area, the influence of the world ocean on global climate is profound and plays an important role in human welfare and destiny. The marine environment encompasses several habitats, from the sea surface layer down through the bulk water column, which extends >10,000 meters depth, and further down to the habitats on and under the sea floor. Compared to surface habitats, which have relatively high kinetic energy, deep-ocean circulation is very sluggish. By comparison, life in the deep sea is characterized by a relatively constant physical and chemical environment. Deep water occupying the world ocean basin is a potential natural resource based on its properties such as low temperature, high pressure and relatively unexplored properties. So, a judicious assessment of the marine resources and its management are essential to ensure sustainable development of the country’s ocean resources. Marine sediments are complex environments that are affected by both physiological and biological factors, water movements and burrowing animals. They encompass a large extent of aggregates falling from the surface waters. In aquatic ecosystems, the flux of organic matter to the bottom sediments depend on primary productivity at the ocean surface and water depth. Over 50% of the earth’s surface is covered by deep-sea sediments that are primarily formed through the continual deposition of particles from the productive pelagic waters (Vetriani et al., 1999). These aggregates are regarded as ‘hot spots’ of microbial activity in the ocean (Simon et al., 2002). This represents a good nutritional substrate for heterotrophic bacteria and favours bacterial growth

Biostatistical evaluation and Management of sciaenid fishery with particular reference to Otolithes ruber (Schneider, 1801) andJohnieops sina (Cuvier, 1830) of Konkan coast

Fish, a natural resource, has received great attention from all over the world. since it provides a cheap protein, employment and income to the millions of people for centuries. So fishermen, industrialist and multinationals are trying to exploit the marine resources to their maximum benefit by using modern craft, advance fishing equipments and efficient gear. Fishery resources in the open system particularly in oceans, were considered to be unlimited. However, recent developments in the innovation of efficient craft and gear using well tested material fitted with modern equipments that have greatly enhanced the mobility of craft, agility of gear and the ability of equipments to locate fishery resources have proved otherwise. Hence as the exploitation increases with more effort entering the fishery, the catch per unit of fishing effort starts to decline due to the limitness of the resources. The heavy fishing pressure in the recent past led to commercial extinction of a number of stocks such as. the North Sea herring, California sardine, Japanese Sardine and Peruvian anchovy (FAO. 1968: Gulland, 1974). In India, seer fish from Palk-Bay declined due to uncontrolled fishing (Devaraj 1983).

“Studies on the Biology, Morphometrics and Biochemical composition of the Ommastrephid squid, Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis (Lesson,1830) of the south west coast of India”

With the stabilization of world finfish catches in general, and the depletion of a number of fish stocks that used to support industrial-scale fisheries, increasing attention is now being paid, to the so-called unconventional marine resources, which include many species of cephalopods. One of such important cephalopod resource is the tropical Indo-Pacific pelagic oceanic squid Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis. It is the most abundant large sized squid in the Indo- Pacific region with an estimated biomass of 8-11 metric tons. However, its distribution, biology, life cycle and nutrient value in the south west coast of India are still poorly known. So any new information of this species in the waters off the south west coast of India has important scientific significance for effective and rational utilization of this Oceanic fishery resources, especially during the time of depletion of shallow water resources. In view of that this study investigated different aspects of the Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis, such as morphometry, growth, mortality, maturation, spawning, food, feeding and biochemical composition in the south west coast of India to understand its possible prospective importance for commercial fishing and management of its fishery

Studies on the exploratory trawl fishing and significance of selectivity in trawl fishing gear for conservation of marine fishery resources with special reference to the inshore waters off Mangalore

School of Industrial Fisheries, Cochin University of Science and Technology

Institutional Dynamics in Community-Based Fisheries Resources Management for Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries in Kerala

Department of Applied Economics, Cochin University of Science and Technology

Ecophysiology of nontuberculous Mycobacteria in marine aquaculture ponds

The world demand for fish and fishery products is increasing steadily and it is generally accepted that it will not be possible to meet the heavy demand with resources exploited from capture fishery alone. Now aquaculture is well established and fastdeveloping industry in many countries and is a major focus sector for development. During recent decades, aquaculture has gained momentum, throughout the world especially in developing countries. According to Food and Agricultural Oganisation (FAO, 2000), global aquaculture production was 26.38 tones in 1996 have reached 32.9 million tonnes during 1999. Only marine aquaculture sector has contributed 13.1 million tonnes during 1999.India is a major fish producing country. About one half of lndia’s brackish water lands are currently being utilized for farming in order to reduce the gap between supply and demand for fish. Aquaculture has become a major source of livelihood for people and its role in integrated rural development, generation of employment and earning foreign exchange, thereby alleviating poverty is being greatly appreciated around the world.Among the infectious agents, bacteria are becoming the prime causal organisms for diseases in food fishes and other marine animals. Sindermann, (1970) reported that bacterial fish pathogen most commonly found among marine fishes is species of Pseudomonas, Vibrio and Mycobacterium. These can be categorized into primary pathogens; secondary invaders that may cause systemic disease in immunocompromised hosts; and normal marine flora which are not pathogenic but may occur on body surfaces or even within the tissues of the host. I-Iigh density of animals in hatchery tanks and ponds is conducive to the spread of pathogen and the aquatic environment with regular application of protein rich feed, is ideal for culturing bacteria. Bacteria, which are normally present in seawater or on the surface of fish, can invade and cause pathological effects in fishes, which are injured or subjected to other environmental stresses.Mycobacteria except parasites are known as nontuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM), atypical mycobacteria or mycobacteria other than tuberculosis(MO'l'l"). This group of mycobacteria includes opportunistic pathogens and saprophytes. Environmental mycobacteria are ubiquitous in distribution and the sources may include soil, water, warm-blooded as well as cold-blooded animals. Disease caused by environmental mycobacterial strains in susceptible humans (Goslee & Wolinsky, 1976; Grange, 1987), animals and fishes are increasingly attracting attention. Greatest importance of environmental mycobacteria is believed to be their role in immunological priming of humans and animals, thereby modifying their immune responses to subsequent exposure to pathogenic species.

Studies on certain exploted marine finfish resource of India

This thesis Entitled Studies on certain exploited marine Finfish Resources of india.Marine fish catch forecasting is short term or long term basis for purposes of explation and management. Among the short term forecasts, two approaches need serious consideration in India: 1. to improve the methods of understanding the influence of environmental characteristics on the abundance or availability of fish in different areas in different periods and to make the forecasts of the same, 2. to make analysis of time series catch data (ARIMA models) to make forecasts of catch in the next year or in a particular period during next year. There is some evidence of suitability of these approaches to Indian marine fisheries but attempts aiming at comprehensive studies should be made. In the area of long term forecasts, considerable work is done in India on single species assessments but in the context of multi species, multigear nature of Indian marine fisheries, assessments of all species together in a mixed fishery are urgently required for effective managements of fisheries.

A study of the hydrological features of the shelf water along the west coast of India with an attempt to explain their influence upon the living resources of the region

The objective of the present study is to elucidate the hydrological conditions of the shelf waters along the southern half or the west coast of India and their relation to the sooplankton bionase and pelagic fish resources. Data from six hydrography-plankton sections worked during the 1972-75 period of cape camerin. Quilon. cochin. Kasaragod. Karwar and kotnagiri formed the basis of the present study.Stations were fixed along the transects 10 nautical miles apart. Starting with the first station at around 15 metre depth and were usually occupied 5 to 8 times in an year at an interval of about 6 weeks. Data relating to oil sardines and macherel fisheries were availed from published information relating to the period mainly of the Central Marine fisheries Research Institute. The range of different parameters namely temperature. salinity. density and dissolved oxygen at different depths and their sloping features against the coast are discussed. Three seasons. namely south-west monsoon (summer monsoon). north-east monsoon (winter monsoon) and hot weather season are designated and data of the core months of each of these seasons considered in the study.

Studies on phytoplankton of the estuarine and marine environments

This thesis deals with the results oi’ investigations on phytoplankton productivity and related aspects conducted in various ecoaystms such as estuarine, inshore and oceanic enviroments and certain special ecosytans including the pu.-awn culture fields and associated many-eves, mud bank and the seas around the Andaman-Nicobar Islands. This study also includes the qualitative and quantitative variations of phytoplankton production, their seasonal abundance, factors controlling the same and the magnitude of the potential resources derived 1!:-om it

Institutional Analysis of Marine Fisheries Management Practices in Kerala, India

The study is important for the fact that it places the management dynamics of marine fisheries sector in the context of growing unrest of local communities over the emerging resource conflicts and degradation Economic crisis in small scale marine fisheries due to high operating cost continue to hinder the efforts towards conservation in many ways The migration of mechanized fleet as a response to profit maximization strategy of enterprises continues to be a threat to resource management Therefore this study explores how to revamp the small scale mechanized sector effectively and profitably to ensure rational allocation of resources The thesis attempts to examine how livelihood vulnerabilities of artisanal fish workers influence the crafting of management institutions Finally by combining insights of an institutional framework the study establishes the need for recognising the role of both formal and informal institutions in the management of marine fisheries in Kerala

Impact of the Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary Agreement on the Exports of Marine Products from India with Special Reference to Kerala

Fish and fishery products are regarded as healthy foods and there has been a significant increase in their global trade. Besides that, trade liberalization policies, globalization of food systems and technological innovations have furthered the increase in international trade in fish and fishery products.Fish and fishery product exports have a significant place in the export basket of India. Export earnings of India from fishery products increased from ` 4 crores in 1960-61to ` 12901.47 crores in 2010-11(MPEDA, 2012). The share of export earnings from fish and fishery products as a percentage of total agricultural exports of India increased from a low of 1.76 percent in 1960-61 to a high of 25.06 percent in 1994-95. But its share declined to 16.60 percent in the following year. Though its share in agricultural exports of the country has declined since then, in 2010-11, marine product exports accounted for 9.61 percent of total agricultural exports of India representing a significant share.