EERC Theme: Marine Ecosystems and Sustainability EERC Working Paper Series: MES-4 Economic and Social Management of Estuarine Biodiversity in the West Coast of India K T Thomson Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin MOEF IGIDR WORLD BANK 2 ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT OF ESTUARINE BIODIVERSITY IN THE WEST COAST OF INDIA Project undertaken for The Ministry of Environment and Forest under The World Bank Aided India: Environmental Management Capacity Building Technical Assistance Project Coordinated By Environment Economics Research Committee, Indira Gandhi Institute for Development Research, Mumbai, India FINAL REPORT February, 2003 Dr. K. T. Thomson [email protected] SCHOOL OF INDUSTRIAL FISHERIES COCHIN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COCHIN -16, KERALA Project Staff 1. Dr. Aji C. Panicker. MSc., PhD. 2. Dr. T. M. Najmudeen. MSc., PhD. 3. Mr. M. N. Harishkumar. MSc. 4. Mr. C. R. Sivanna. M.A., M. Phil 5. Mr. Prashobhan Palakkeel, M. A. 6. Mr. A. Sajjad M. A. 7. Ms. Susan Abraham. M. A. Consultant Dr. J. B. Rajan CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 Introduction 1.1 Objectives Notes CHAPTER 2 Estuarine biodiversity degradation and socio economic management: a framework for analysis 2.1 The study areas 2.2 Location 2.3 Sources of data and modes of data collection 2.3.1 Data on the hydro-biological processes 2.3.2 Plankton and Macrobenthos 2.4 Data on other economic activities 2.4.1 Fishery 2.4.2 Wetland agriculture 2.4.3 Other traditional activities 2.4.4 Aquaculture 2.4.5 Navigation 2.4.6 Port trust 2.4.7 Tourism 2.5 Economic valuation 2.5.1 Calculation of direct values 2.5.2 Calculation of values of backwater tourism 2.5.3 Estimation of non-use values of estuaries: contingent valuation surveys 2.6 Total economic value of the estuary CHAPTER 3 Species and ecosystem diversity of estuaries 3.1 Factors influencing productivity of Cochin and Kali estuaries 3.1.1 Physical conditions of water 3.1.1 [A] Depth 3.1.1 [B] Temperature 3.1.1 [C] Turbidity 3.1.2 Chemical conditions of water 3.1.2 [D] Salinity 3.1.2 [E] Dissolved oxygen 3.1.2 [F] Ph 3.1.2 [G] Nutrients 3.1.2 [H] Organic matter in the sediment 3.2 Fish and shellfish diversity in Cochin estuary 3.3 Diversity of ecological services and functions of Cochin estuary 5 3.4 Summary and conclusions Notes CHAPTER 4 Economic activities on estuaries and major stakeholders 4.1 Traditional stakeholders 4.1.1 Distribution of population 4.1.2 Pokkali agriculture 4.1.3 Estuarine capture fisheries and traditional fisherfolk 4.1.4 Other traditional occupations 4.2 Modern stakeholders of the estuarine environment 4.2.1 Cochin port trust 4.2.2 Modern navigation industry 4.2 [A] Inland waterways authority of India 4.2 [B] Kerala shipping and inland navigation corporation 4.2 [C] State water transport department 4.2.3 National and international leisure industry of Cochin estuary 4.3 Property rights on estuarine resources and environment 4.3.1 Evolution of customary fishing rights on estuaries 4.3.1 [A] The evolution of fishing rights around stake nets 4.3.1 [B] The evolution of fishing rights around Chinese nets 4.3.2 Evolution of rights on wetlands 4.3.2 [A] Customary rights of agricultural labourers 4.3.3 State interventions and property regimes 4.3.4 Property claims of modern stakeholders 4.3.4 [A] Property rights of Cochin port trust 4.3.4 [B] Property rights of water transport industry 4.5 Decentralised governance and water rights 4.6 Conclusion Notes Annexures CHAPTER 5 Causes of degradation 5.1 Market failures 5.1.1 Externalities 5.1.1 [A] Sedimentation Externality 5.1.1 [B] Dredging activities 5.1.1 [C] Reclamation of estuaries 5.1.1 [D] Harbor and urban development activities 5.1.1 [E] Construction externalities 5.1.1 [F] Industrial agglomerations on the banks of Cochin estuary and pollution 5.1.2 Nature and growth of pollutants in Cochin estuary 5.1.3 Pollution in Kali estuary 5.2 Institutional failures 6 5.2.1 Formal organisations 5.2.2 Informal organisations 5.2.3 Indigenous property egimesr and other institutions 5.3 Government intervention (policy) failure and degradation of biodiversity in Cochin estuary 5.3.1 [A] National level policies and rules 5.3.1 [B] State level policies and rules 5.3.2 Government policies related to the use of estuaries 5.3.2 [A] Inland fisheries policies 5.3.2 [B] Brackish water aquaculture policies 5.3.2 [C] Policies for wetland paddy cultivation 5.3.2 [D] Policies for regulating industrial activities 5.3.2 [E] Policies for developing navigation and shipping industries 5.4 Summary Notes Annexures Chapter 6 Traditional estuarine production systems: an examination of production potentials and productivities 6.1 Distribution of production and productivity of wetland agriculture around Cochin and Kali estuaries 6.1.1 Production and productivity of wetland paddy cultivation (Pokkali) around Cochin estuarine settlements 6.1.2 Cost and earnings of Pokkali cultivation in Cochin estuary 6.2 Production and productivity of capture fisheries in Cochin and Kali estuaries 6.2.1 Productivity of fishing in selected estuaries 6.2.2 Cost and earnings of estuarine fisheries in Cochin estuary 6.3 Production and productivity of culture fisheries in Cochin estuary 6.4 Clam fisheries 6.5 Summary and conclusion Notes Annexures Chapter 7 Economic value of estuaries 7.1 Estimates of direct values of traditional estuarine activities 7.1.1 Economic value generated by pokkali paddy production 7.1.2 Economic value generated from fishery resources 7.1.3 Economic value generated by traditional ferry services in Cochin estuary 7.1.4 Economic value generated by sand mining in Kali estuary 7.1.5 Economic value generated by clam fishery and lime shell collection 7 7.2 Economic values produced by the modern stakeholders 7.2.1 Economic values generated from fish farming and aquaculture 7.2.2 Economic values generated by the Cochin port trust 7.2.3 Economic values generated by the navigation industry Total direct values of Cochin estuary for the year 2001-02 7.2.4 7.3 Estimation of recreational value of estuaries : TCM 7.3.1 Socio economic features of visitors 7.3.2 Visit rate and recreational value 7.4 Estimation of non-use values of estuaries : CVM 7.5 Value from direct, indirect and non use values of Cochin estuary 7.6 A comparison of the Total Economic Value generated in Kali and Cochin estuary 7.7 Summary and conclusions Annexures Chapter 8 Summary and conclusions 8.1 Principal Recommendations Glossary References LIST OF MAPS 2.1 Location map of Cochin estuary 2.2 Location map of Kali estuary 2.3 Division of Cochin Estuary by Zones 2.4 Division of Kali Estuary by Zone 2.5 Location of fish landings sampling stations in Cochin estuary 2.6 Location of fish landings sampling stations in Kali estuary 8 LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1 Variation of depth range in different locations in Cochin Estuary during the past 50 years Table 3.2 Variation of depth range in different location of Kali estuary Table 3.3 Distribution of temperature in Cochin estuary Table 3.4 Distribution of temperature in Kali estuary estuaries. Table 3.5 Distribution of turbidity (ppm) in Cochin estuary Table 3.6 Distribution of turbidity (g/litre) in the Kali estuary, 1983-84 Table 3.7 Distribution of salinity in different locations of the Cochin Estuary, 2001-02 Table 3.8 Distribution of salinity in different locations in Kali Estuary Table 3.9 Distribution of dissolved oxygen in Cochin estuary, 2001-02 Table 3.10 Distribution of Dissolved Oxygen in Kali estuary Table 3.11 Distribution of ph in Cochin estuary, 2001-02 Table 3.12 Distribution of pH in Kali estuary Table 3.13 Distribution of other major hydrobiological parameters in Cochin estuary , 2001-02 Table 3.14 Distribution of other major hydrobiological parameters in Kali estuary Table 3.15 List of Fin fishes and shellfishes recorded in Cochin estuary during 2001- 02 Table 3.16 List of finfishes and shellfishes recorded in Kali estuary during 2001-02 Table 3.17 Availability of finfish and shellfish in selected zones of Cochin and Kali estuaries, 2001-02 Table 3.18 Distribution of species availability by months in Cochin and Kali estuaries, 2001-02 Table 3.19 Distribution of monthly availability of species at different locations in Cochin estuary, 2001-02 Table 3.20 Distribution of monthly availability of species at different locations during 2001-02 in Kali estuary Table 3.21 Distribution of species caught by gears in Cochin estuary, 2001-02 Table 3.22 Distribution of species caught by gears in Kali estuary Table 3.23 Major ecosystem services and functions of estuaries Table 4.1 (a) Distribution of average operational holdings of different Padashekarams in Cochin estuary Table 4.1 (b) Distribution of operational holdings of households in Cochin Estuary Table 4.2 Distribution of operational holdings of households in Kali Estuary Table 4.3 Distribution of active fishermen by different Gears used in Cochin estuary, 2001-02 Table 5.1 Variation of depth range in different sectors of the Vembanad Estuary during the past 50 years 9 Table 5.2 Dredging data of Port Trust for the last 50 years Table 5.3 Reclamation in the Vembanad estuary for developing agriculture and aquaculture Table 5.4 Reclamation in the Vembanad estuary for Harbor and Urban Development Table 5.5 Major Inland Fisheries Regulations in India Table 6.1 Percentage distribution of respondents by occupation Cochin and Kali estuarine settlements: 2001-02 Table 6.2 Distribution of production of Pokkali paddy in Cochin and Kali estuarine settlements Table 6.3 Cost and Earnings of pokkali paddy in different