January 7, 2005

Indian Seafood Exports Unaffected By Tsunami

Indian Seafood exports would not be hit due to tsunami as the major ocean catch of shrimp and cephalopods are along the west coast of India from Veravel to Kochi-- the area which has remained mostly unaffected.

From the affected coastlines, the ocean catch of shrimp, cephalopods and fishes comprise about 15 per cent of the total export resource of India, the Seafood Exporters Association of India today said. Hence, the impact of Tsunami on overall exports from ocean catch is limited, the association said.

The major destruction had taken place from chennai down to Velankanni and Kanniyakumari, Kollam, Alapuzha coasts. The fishing hamlets as well as all fishing craft in the affected areas have been destroyed.

Since most of the Aquaculture farms are along the East coast and several had completed harvesting their second crop prior to tsunami, there was virtually no crop loss, the association said. However, a large number of eastern coastal farms would require substantial repair of pumping stations and discharge canals and rebuilding of bunds.

From an environmental viewpoint, in the coastlines of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the fishing capability has been destroyed and it would take at least 6 months before the fishermen are able to rehabilitate their homes and rebuild their fishing craft.

The association would adopt a fishing village each in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala and assist them in reubilding their hamlets and fishing craft. The Association is also creating a 'Tsunami Fishermen Relief Fund', it said in a press release here.