Community-based environmental education in the fishing villages of Tuticorin and its role in conservation of the environment

Author/s: Jamila Patterson, Eva Lindén, J.K. Patterson Edward, Dan Wilhelmsson and Inger Löfgren

Edition: Volume 49, Number 2, July 2009

Summary: The coastal town of Tuticorin is situated in the southern part of the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park on the Southeastern Indian coast. The four islands off the Tuticorin coast are fringed by corals reefs and seagrass beds. Destructive fishing methods including blast fishing, near-shore trawling, coral mining, sedimentation and pollution have, however, caused considerable damage to the coral reefs and seagrass beds, threatening the reef fisheries of the region. A significant portion of the fisher folk in the 23 coastal villages along the Tuticorin coast, due to low literacy levels and lack of other employment, is dependent on the dwindling fish catches in and around these reefs and seagrass beds. Crowded fishing grounds, increasing demand for fisheries’ products and declining catches compel fishers to increase the use of more effective and destructive fishing methods. Adult education was introduced in five coastal villages (Rajapalayam, Siluvaipatti, Arockiyapuram, Tirespuram on the Tuticorin coast in 2007. Included in this adult education, environmental education practices, including conservation of natural resources, particularly coral reefs and seagrass habitats, its importance and role, the need for conservation and management, eco-friendly fishing practices and sustainable use of fishery resources, were taught to the fisher folk in all five coastal villages. The trained fisher folk play key roles in their respective villages in awareness creation about the conservation of natural resources. The campaign during International Year of the Reef in 2008 helped to make aware many people in the villages about the importance of corals and associated seagrass and other resources. As a part of mitigating climate change impacts and income generation, family members of the five villages were also taught and helped to increase plantation.

Keywords: environmental education, community-based, climate change impacts, eco-friendly, fishing practices