Coimbatore : A long pending conservation struggle of environmentalists and Volunteers of NGO CUBE at the Singanallur Lake has finally been paid off, as the lake has been declared free of commercial fishing. Citing that fishing has been altering the lake’s bio-diversity at a large scale, the ban has been declared.
Coimbatore : A long pending conservation struggle of environmentalists and Volunteers of NGO CUBE at the Singanallur Lake has finally been paid off, as the lake has been declared free of commercial fishing. Citing that fishing has been altering the lake’s bio-diversity at a large scale, the ban has been declared.
At an event held today here, Municipal Administration and Rural Development S.P. Velumani announced the ban which will be effective from the January 1, 2019.
Celebrating the first anniversary of Singanallur lake been declared as an Urban Biodiversity Conservation Zone, the news has added huge relief for the naturalists and environmentalists, who have been urging for this ban.
It is to be noted that Singanallur lake, is the first of its kind lake in the State with Urban Biodiversity Conservation Zone status.
“Large scale fishing has been a big threat to the biodiversity, here. The lake hosts more than 720 species of birds, insects added with other flora and fauna. The aquatic life is also rich with the presence of notable fresh water turtles. However, large scale fishing has been causing disturbance to the ecosystem here resulting in threat to the species,” said the Minister.
The Minister also launched the Project Coimbatore Fresh Water Fish Conservation, after which five to six species of fresh water fishes and shrimps were released in the lake, in order to balance lost fishes.
According to sources, the fishing contractors had introduced fast breeding fishes which eat up the native breeds. A, in order to reintroduce native fishes, they should wait until the natural elimination of the fishes, and then add native species at a phased manner.
“We have collected samples of native fishes from rivers that are fed by Siruvani. It will take around five years for the lake to be dominated by the native breeds,” said B. Nagarajan, Scientist from the Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (IFGTB).
The decision to stop commercial fishing and reintroduce native breeds has been welcomed by the volunteers of the Centre for Urban Biodiversity Conservation and Education (CUBE), who have been monumental in transforming the lake back to a pristine condition.
It may be noted that Madras High Court had recently stopped the auctioning of fishing contract to all the lakes in the State.
Earlier, the lake was declared as a 'no dumping zone' by Commissioner of Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation, Dr K. Vijayakarthikeyan who issued stern warning against the perpetrators.
At an event held today here, Municipal Administration and Rural Development S.P. Velumani announced the ban which will be effective from the January 1, 2019.
Celebrating the first anniversary of Singanallur lake been declared as an Urban Biodiversity Conservation Zone, the news has added huge relief for the naturalists and environmentalists, who have been urging for this ban.
It is to be noted that Singanallur lake, is the first of its kind lake in the State with Urban Biodiversity Conservation Zone status.
“Large scale fishing has been a big threat to the biodiversity, here. The lake hosts more than 720 species of birds, insects added with other flora and fauna. The aquatic life is also rich with the presence of notable fresh water turtles. However, large scale fishing has been causing disturbance to the ecosystem here resulting in threat to the species,” said the Minister.
The Minister also launched the Project Coimbatore Fresh Water Fish Conservation, after which five to six species of fresh water fishes and shrimps were released in the lake, in order to balance lost fishes.
According to sources, the fishing contractors had introduced fast breeding fishes which eat up the native breeds. A, in order to reintroduce native fishes, they should wait until the natural elimination of the fishes, and then add native species at a phased manner.
“We have collected samples of native fishes from rivers that are fed by Siruvani. It will take around five years for the lake to be dominated by the native breeds,” said B. Nagarajan, Scientist from the Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (IFGTB).
The decision to stop commercial fishing and reintroduce native breeds has been welcomed by the volunteers of the Centre for Urban Biodiversity Conservation and Education (CUBE), who have been monumental in transforming the lake back to a pristine condition.
It may be noted that Madras High Court had recently stopped the auctioning of fishing contract to all the lakes in the State.
Earlier, the lake was declared as a 'no dumping zone' by Commissioner of Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation, Dr K. Vijayakarthikeyan who issued stern warning against the perpetrators.