Coimbatore: Despite the announcement of a first of its kind ban on fishing in Singanallur Lake, the contractor who had taken the lake on lease seems unperturbed as commercial fishing continues to swindle the lake, leaving birds and the ecosystem in the lake heavily disturbed.
Coimbatore: Despite the announcement of a first of its kind ban on fishing in Singanallur Lake, the contractor who had taken the lake on lease seems unperturbed as commercial fishing continues to swindle the lake, leaving birds and the ecosystem in the lake heavily disturbed.
The ban that was announced by Minister for Municipal Administration and Rural Development S.P. Velumani on 30th of December at the lake came into effect on the 1st of January, 2019. “Large scale fishing has been a big threat to the biodiversity here. The lake hosts more than 720 species of birds, insects, other flora and fauna. The aquatic life is also rich with the presence of notable freshwater turtles. However, large scale fishing has been causing disturbance to the ecosystem here resulting in the reduction of species,” the minister had said during the event.
He also launched the Project Coimbatore Fresh Water Fish Conservation, after which five to six species of freshwater fishes and shrimps were released in the lake, in order to reintroduce lost fishes. Usually, inland fishermen introduce fast breeding non-native fishes in the ponds to yield more profit, which results in the eradication of native species fishes.
It is learnt through sources that the contract for fishing in the lake had expired on the 31st of December, 2018 and it had been unanimously decided by the District Administration, officials from Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) and activists to not renew the contract to improve the biodiversity of the lake.
A copy of the suggestion was also sent to the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department after the meeting. Officials had also issued the ban order a copy of which was sent to the Fisheries Department.
However, the contractor continues to ignore the order and fishing continues in the lake without stoppage. The fishes that are caught in the lake continue to be sold in a stall set up at the entrance of the lake.
Sources claimed that the contractor had earlier exported fishes from the lake to the neighbouring districts. However, he had denied doing so claiming that only a little quantity was fished from the lake.
In addition, the contractor is reportedly using fishing techniques that would chase away the birds from the lake. Methods like bashing the water surface with long sticks and beating the body of the coracle are used by local fishermen shock the fishes and drive them towards desirable directions.
Officials of CCMC seemed to have taken a special interest in the issue and according to sources, they have planned to put up signboards on the lake announcing the ban on commercial fishing.
When tried reaching, the officials from the Fisheries Department were not available for comment.