COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS AND HUMAN WELLBEING IN

TAMIL NADU

Paul P. Appasamy and Prakash Nelliyat

Madras School of Economics, Chennai

MSE Seminar Series

October 24, 2007

ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN WELLBEING IN TAMILNADU

•State Human Development Report (TNSPC)

•Linkage between ecosystems andhuman wellbeing

•State level Analysis

– Secondary Data

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

HUMAN WELLBEING INDIRECT DRIVERS OF CHANGE

* Material * Economic * Health * Sociopolitical

* Security * Technological * Demographic ECOSYSTEM SERVICES DIRECT DRIVERS OF CHANGE

* Provisioning * Changes in Land Use * Regulating * External Inputs (eg. Fertilizers)

* Cultural * Climate Change * Natural disaster Source: Millenium Ecosystem Assessment – Summary

ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

Provisioning – Food, water, fuel wood, medicinal products, genetic resources.Regulating – Climate, Floods and droughts,

disease- Influence health and vulnerability to shocks- Soil formation, nutrient recyclingCultural – Spiritual, cultural, tourism

DEGRADATION OF ECOSYSTEMS

Excessive demand due to economic/demographic driversOver utilisation or mismanagementDegradation of land and waterLoss of biodiversityPollution of air, water and land

Impact on Poor – Vulnerable to change- Greater reliance on ecosystems - “Ecosystem People”

Non Poor – Defensive Measures- Substitutes

ECOSYSTEMS – TAMIL NADU

Rural Ecosystems – Agricultural Land, Water Bodies, Wetlands

- Common Property ResourcesForest Ecosystems – Forests, Biodiversity, Wildlife, Forest Products (major and minor)Coastal Ecosystems – Marine Fisheries, Beaches, Mangroves, Coral ReefsUrban Ecosystems – Urban Centres (Housing and Institutions) Industries, Urban Transport Systems.

MAP OF TAMILNADU COAST

TAMIL NADU COAST1076 km of Coast lineBeaches – Littoral DriftMangroves – Pichavaram, VedaraniyamLagoonsCoral Reefs Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park

COASTAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

Ports – Chennai, Tuticorin (major)– Cuddalore, Nagapattinam (medium)– Six minor ports

Settlements – Metropolitan city (Chennai)– Union Territory (Pondicherry)– 4 Municipalities– 20 Townships– Rural settlements/Fishing Villages

Impact on Ecosystem – Depletion of ground water – Liquid and solid wastes– Seawater Intrusion

COASTAL ECOSYSTEM SERVICESI. PROVISIONING SERVICES

Food – Fisheries (Source of protein) - Coastal agriculture

Livelihood / Employment- Marine Fisheries- Aquaculture - Coral Mining- Fuel – Firewood

- Wind energy Medicinal Products – Sea grasses

II. REGULATING SERVICES

Bioshields – Mangroves- Coral Reefs

Waste Disposal – Wetlands- Sea grasses

Climate / rainfall – Cooling effect- Retreating Monsoon

Nutrient Cycling – Carbon, nitrogen, etc

III. CULTURAL AND OTHER SERVICES

Tourism – Natural, Heritage Religious Importance – Pilgrim CentresBird Sanctuaries Beaches – RecreationBiodiversity

MARINE FISHERIES INDICATORSCoastal Districts – 13Coast line – 1076 kmNo. of fishing villages – 591No. of fish landing centres – 362Fisherfolk population – 6.98 lakh (1%)Active Fishermen – 2.62 lakhFish production – 381,148 tonees (2003-04)

Marine Fish Production in Tamil Nadu (Tonnes)

81700134250

317904395531 373661

477360

1950-51 1960-61 1970-71 1980-81 1990-91 2000-01

Year

Fish

Pro

duct

ion

* Growth in Nineties

Fish and Fishery Products Export from Tamil Nadu (Current Year Value - Rs. in Million)

2502980

974013500

20710

1969-70 1979-80 1989-90 1999-2000 2003-04

Year

Expo

rt

* Rapid growth in exports

Active Fishermen Population in Tamil Nadu

80035101869

225722262000

1978 1986 1994 1998

Year

Popu

latio

n

*160% increase between 1986 and 1998

• Rapid growth in Pelagies (deep water fish).

Source: Irene Francis (2007)

•Sharp fall in productivity

Source: Irene Francis (2007)

Substantial growth in nineties in catch due to mechanization and technological advancesIncrease in exports in ninetiesSupply response to price increase in exportsPercapita fish catch shows declining trends signalling over-fishing.Sustainability of fish stock is a concernEmployment potential has declined – youth are moving out of the sector.

(Karunaharan and Thangamuthu, 2006)Spatial and Temporal Bans on Trawlers

MONSOON BAN (2001)

• 45-day trawling ban (April – May)• Objectives

• Conservation of fisheries• Consistency with other states

• Not clear if the ban has been effective- Ban has not led to increase in landings in

Tamil Nadu unlike Kerala• Support fisherfolk during the ban

(Compensation)

AQUACULTURE

4,500 ha – shrimp culture844 shrimp farms (mostly less than 5 ha)Hatcheries and feed millsPollution ProblemsConversion of agricultural landRegulation by Aquaculture Authority - Limit conversion of agricultural land - Control pollution from Shrimp farms

CORAL REEFS5000 hectares of reef area in Tamil Nadu – Gulf of Mannar has rich coral reefsNutrient cycling Maintenance of water quality.Natural barrier (bioshield)Degradation of reef due to:– Destructive fishing methods– Coral mining– Coastal development /ports– Industrial development/pollution

Loss of ecosystem services due to degradation Payment to protect coral reefs?

MANGROVES2500 hectares – Vedaraniyam, Muthupet & Pichavaram (mostly reserved forests)Ecosystem Services– Mitigate the adverse impact of storms, cyclones– Reduce coastal erosion– Breeding ground for prawns, fish– Enhance the fisheries potential– Estimated at $9800 per hectare (Constanza, 1997)

Anthropogenic Pressure– Tourism, cultivation– Firewood for local communities

Payment to protect mangroves?

TOURISM

Ecological Assets – Mangroves, Coral Reefs, Bird Sanctuaries, LagoonsBeaches - RecreationPlaces of religious significanceTourists - 10.8 million domestic(2004) - 0.6 million foreign

* Need for eco-tourism strategy

DEGRADATION OF COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS

Over-Extraction- Marine Fisheries- Coral Reefs, Seaweed, Mangroves

Coastal Pollution - Industries, Sewage, Port Wastes

Coastal Development- Land Use changes- Harbour Development- Shipping Lanes (SSC)

Aquaculture Tourism Impact Need for Coastal Zone Management

OTHER COASTAL THREATS

Climate change – Vulnerability to Sea level RiseCoastal Cyclones Tidal WavesTsunamiDamage to PropertyLoss of livesNeed for adaptation strategies to counter threatsTamil Nadu coast is less developed compared to the West Coast.

COASTAL DISTRICTS – VULNERABILITY INDEX

Source: K.S.Kavi Kumar (2005)

TSUNAMI DAMAGE IN TAMIL NADU

Loss of lives – 7995 (mainly Nagapattinam)Population Affected – 691,000Penetration – 1 to 1.5 kmWave Height – 7 to 10 mDwelling Units Lost – 91,000Total Damage - $ 438 millionReconstruction Costs - $ 868 millionNeed for insurance systems

SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS

Coastal Zone Management – CRZ Regulations CZM AuthorityAquaculture RegulationBay of Bengal Programme – LivelihoodAlternative occupations/skills for fisherfolkInsurance systems against damageEIA for Coastal ProjectsCompensation to protect ecosystemsEco-Tourism StrategyAdaptation to Climate Change