Economic and Social Issues of Biodiversity Loss In Cochin Backwaters BY DR.K T THOMSON READER SCHOOL OF INDUSTRIAL FISHERIES COCHIN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COCHIN 680 016 [email protected] To 1 The Kerala research Programme on local level development Centre for development studies, Trivandrum This study was carried out at the School of Industrial Fisheries, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin during the period 19991999--2001 with financial support from the Kerala Research Programme on Local Level Development, Centre for Development Studies, Trivandrum. Principal investigator: Dr. K. T. Thomson Research fellows: Ms Deepa Joy Mrs. Susan Abraham 2 Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Introduction 1.2 The specific objectives of our study are 1.3 Conceptual framework and analytical methods 1.4 Scope of the study 1.5 Sources of data and modes of data collection 1.6 Limitations of the study Annexure 1.1 List of major estuaries in Kerala Annexure 1.2 Stakeholders in the Cochin backwaters Chapter 2 Species Diversity And Ecosystem Functions Of Cochin Backwaters 2.1 Factors influencing productivity of backwaters 2.1.1 Physical conditions of water 2.1.2 Chemical conditions of water 2.2 Major phytoplankton species available in Cochin backwaters 2.2.1 Distribution of benthic fauna in Cochin backwaters 2.2.2 Diversity of mangroves in Cochin backwaters 2.2.3 Fish and shellfish diversity 2.3 Diversity of ecological services and functions of Cochin backwaters 2.4 Summary and conclusions Chapter 3 Resource users of Cochin backwaters 3.1 Ecosystem communities of Kochi kayal 3.2 Distribution of population 3.1.1 Cultivators and agricultural labourers. 3.2 Traditional Fisher folk Modern stakeholders of the backwater economy 3.3 Cochin Port Trust 3.4 Modern navigation industry 3.4.1 Inland Waterways Authority of India [IWA] 3.4.2 Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation 3 3.4.3 State water Transport Department 3.5 National and international leisure industry of Cochin backwaters 3.6 Structure of Property Rights on Cochin Backwaters 3.6.1 Evolution of Customary Rights 3.6.1.1 Evolution of fishing rights in backwaters 3.6.1.2 Evolution of Rights on Wetlands 3.6.1.3 Customary Rights of Agricultural Labourers 3.6.2 State Interventions And Property Regimes 3.6.3 Property Claims Of Modern Stakeholders 3.6.4 Conclusions Annexure 3.1 Distribution of total area of Ernakulam District of Kerala (ha). Annexure 3.2 Inland Fishing Villages declared by the State Fisheries Department Annexure 3.3 Classification of Gears and other fishing methods that were prevalent in the Cochin Backwaters Annexure 3.4 Distribution of major inland fishing gears in the study area Annexure 3.5 Live lime-shell fishing for 1965- 1968 Annexure 3.6 Chronology of the Evolution of Cochin Port Annexure 3.7 Annexure 3.8 Operational details of SWTD of Kerala Annexure 3.9 Annexure 3.10 Chapter 4 Causes for biodiversity loss in Cochin backwaters 4.1 Market Failures 4.1.1 Industrial pollution in Cochin backwaters 4.1.2 Some evidences 4.1.3 Nature and growth of pollutants in Cochin backwaters 4.1.4 Construction externalities 4 4.1.5 Land reclamation externalities 4.1.6 Harbor and Urban Development Activities 4.1.7 Sedimentation externalities 4.1.7 Dredging externalities 4.2 Government failures and degradation of biodiversity in Cochin backwaters. 4.2.1 Government policies related to the use of backwaters 4.2.2 Brackish Water Aquaculture Policies 4.2.3 Policies For Wetland Paddy Cultivation 4.2.4 Policies For Regulating Industrial Activities 4.2.5 Policies For Developing Navigation And Shipping Industries 4.3 Institutional Failures and Degradation of Estuarine Biodiversity Institutional failures 4.4 Impact Of Biodiversity Degradation Summary Annexure 4.1 Concentration of Some Heavy Metals & Organic Carbon In The Sediments Annexure 4.2 The trends of sediment distribution in the Vembanad wetlands Annexure 4.3 Annexure 4.4 Distribution of quantity silt dredged and expenditure incurred by the Port Trust: Chapter 5 Economic activities and direct economic benefits Of Cochin backwaters 5.1 Economic activities of traditional stakeholders 5.1.1 Pokkali Agriculture Distribution of operational holdings of households Revenue from Pokkali Paddy Production. 5.2 Fisheries And The Fisher Folk 5.2.1 Social Organisation Of Fishing 5.2.2 The Structure Of Customary Rights 5.2.3 Economic Value From Fishery Resources Fishing days 5 5.3 Fish farming and aquaculture 5.4 Modern Stakeholders In The Backwater Economy 5.5 Conclusion ANNEXURE 5.1 ANNEXURE 5.2 ANNEXURE 5.3 ANNEXURE 5.4 Chapter 6 Rural livelihood in backwater economies: a study of kumbalangi grama panchayat 6.1 Ecological And Socio-Economic Setting Of Kumbalangi 6.1.1 Brackish Water And Characteristics 6.1.2 Land As A Resource And Its Characteristics 6.1.3 Land Use, Cropping Pattern And Crop Diversity 6.1.4 Social Setting Of Kumbalangi 6.2 Social Organization Of Major Kayal Related Activities In Kumbalangi 6.2.1 The Pokkali Farmers 6.2.2 Fishery Resources, Diversity And Fisher folk In Kumbalangi 6.2.3 The Aquaculture 6.2.4 Small scale industrial activities in Kumbalangi [I]Clam Fishery and Lime shell collection [ii] Sand mining [iii] Traditional Ferry Services [iv] Coconut husk retting and coir making 6.3 The Livelihood Potentials Derived By Different Stakeholders From The Kayal 6.3.1 Pokkali paddy 6.3.2 Fishing Case Study 1 Conflicts between the stake net and Chinese net operators Case Study 2 Conflict between Chinese net operators and gillnet operators Case Study 3 Conflict between Thangu vallam (OBM) and Chinese net operators 6 Case Study 4 Stake net holders Vs Kerala Construction co -operation 6.5 SUMMARY CHAPTER 7 Summary and conclusions Chapter 2 Species diversity and ecosystem functions of cochin backwaters Table2.1 Variation of depth range in different locations of Vembanad Estuary during the past 50 years Table 2. 2 Distribution of temperature in the study area Table 2.3 Distribution of turbidity in the study area. Table 2.4 Distribution of salinity in different locations of the Cochin Backwaters Table 2.5 Distribution of dissolved oxygen in Cochin backwaters Table 2.6 Physico-chemical parameters1980 (pH) Table 2.7 Levels of nutrients in a typical estuarine station near Cochin (Unit- mg /l) Table 2.8 Primary productivity measurements (Production mg C/m3/day) Table 2.9 Distribution of population density of benthic fauna in different locations of Cochin backwaters in 1989 Chapter 3 Resource users of Cochin backwaters Table 3.1 Distribution of population in the study area during 1971-1991 Table 3.2 Distributions of Wetlands in Kerala Table 3.3 Distribution of cultivators in the study area: 1971-91 Table 3.4 Distribution of agricultural workers in the study area Table 3.5 Distribution of livestock, fishing, hunting and allied activities in the study area during 1971-91 Table 3.6 Distribution of Inland Fishermen Population in Ernakulam district Chapter 4 Causes for biodiversity loss in Cochin backwaters Table 4.1 Discharges of industrial pollutants in the study area Table 4.2 Quantity and nature of heavy metal pollutants discharged into Periyar and Chitrapuzha 7 Table 4.3 Reclamation in the Vembanad estuary for developing agriculture and aquaculture Table 4.4 Reclamation In The Vembanad Estuary For Harbour And Urban Development Table 4.5 Variation of depth range in different sectors of the Vembanad Estuary during the past 50 years Table 4.6 Dredging data of Port Trust for the last 50 years Table 4.7 Major Inland Fisheries Regulations in India Table 4.9 Distribution of fish production from Cochin backwaters Table 4.5 Variation of depth range in different sectors of the Vembanad Estuary during the past 50 years CHAPTER 5 ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES AND DIRECT ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF COCHIN BACKWATERS Table 5.1 Distributions Of Pokkali Padasheramas In The Study Area Table 5.2 Distribution of average operational holdings of different Padashekarams in the north zone Table 5.3 Distribution of average operational holdings of different Padashekarams in the south zone Table5.4 Distribution of households in the north zone by size of land holdings Table 5.5 Distribution of households in the south zone by size of land holdings Table 5.6 Distribution of revenue generated by different class holdings of Pokkali paddy in the North Zone Table 5.7 Distribution of revenue generated by different class holdings of Pokkali paddy the South Zone Table 5.8 Distribution of value of Pokkali paddy generated by different class holdings in the North and South Zones Table 5.9 Distribution of different Gear Groups and active fishermen in the North and South Zone Table 5.10 Distribution of active fishing days per month in the study areas Table 5.11 Landings by different class of gears in the North and South Zone Table 5.12 Revenue Generated by different class of gear in the North and South Zone for the year 2000-01 (Million) Table 5.13 Distribution of brackish water in Ernakulam District. Table 5.14 Distribution of aquaculture farms and revenue generated in 2000 Table 5.15 Gross revenue generated by Cochin Port Trust Table 5.16 Gross revenue generated by Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation Table 5.17 Gross revenue generated by the State water transport department Table 5.18 Gross revenue generated by the Tourism industry from the Cochin Backwaters Table 5.19 Direct Economic Values generated from kayal based activities by traditional and modern stakeholders ( Rs. Million) 8 CHAPTER 6 RURAL LIVELIHOOD IN BACKWATER ECONOMIES: A STUDY OF KUMBALANGI