fisherfolk - vanashakti.in · 2016) However, Creeks and inlets that are connect-ed to the sea are...

fisherfolk

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Thane Creek 3

Mangroves 5

Mudflats and Ecosystems 6

Vanashakti 7

Research Paper 9

Interviews 17

Acknowledgments 26

Student Conributors 27

f f

Thane Creek located between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai inhabits a broad diversity of avi-fauna and is regarded as one of the Important Bird Areas. (Islam and Rehmani, 2004), as over 205 species of birds are reported from Thane Creek alone (Nitsure, 2002).

Thane Creek k (Long 72° 55’ to 73° 00’E and Lat 19° 00’ to 19° 15’ N) is 26 km long. It is connected to the Mumbai harbour on its south and joins by minor connection with Ulhas River on it’s North near Thane city. The creek is narrow and shallow at the riverine end due to the presence of geomorphic head near Thane city and is broader and deeper towards the sea. It is tidally influenced with a dominance of neritic waters and negligible freshwa-ter flow except during monsoon. Extensive mudflats form along the banks of the creek, which are characterized by the growth of mangroves. (R.P Athalye, 2013).

A few decades back heavy industrialization and consequent urbanization have occurred along both banks of the creek. On the east bank exists Asia’s largest industrialized zone, namely Thane Belapur industrialized area along with the Navi Mumbai urban area. The west bank has the highly urbanized Mumbai and Thane region along with a large number of industries. The industrial effluents and domestic wastes are being released into the creek, and since 1995 the creek is being indiscriminately used as a dumping ground for vast quantities of solid wastes. Despite these hazardous human activities, the creek has still retained life in some areas, and there are chances of its revival if we adopt few reme-dial measures. (R.P Athalye, 2013)

3

https://www.apple.com/in/newsroom/2019/04/conserving-mangroves-a-lifeline-for-the-world/

The dominance of clay significant-

ly changed to the dominance of

silt in 1991-93, which was reported

by Gokhale and Athalye (1993).

After that, the siltation gradually

increased, which has had a sig-

nificant effect on the biodiversity

of the creek. Due to the reduc-

tion in clay, the mudflats have not

remained hard and have become

silty, soft and sinking, which has

had adverse effects on the survival

of the eggs affecting the breeding

of prawns, crabs and fishes. The

prawns have been eliminated from

the creek. The mud quality has not

remained suitable for the burrows

of the mudskippers especially, thus

eliminating them from the creek as

well. It was observed that as the

pollution and siltation in the creek

increased, the mudskippers moved

to the relatively less polluted area

of the creek that is downstream

but ultimately have been eliminat-

ed from the creek. Gokhale and

Athalye (1993) have reported a

67% decline in the fishery catch

in the upstream part of the Thane

Creek.

As Regards the Thane Creek, the

siltation in many places has ham-

pered the tidal flow and flushing

ability of the creek. Dredging of

the silt in some regions of the

creek is necessary (R.P Athalye,

2013). Mangrove forests grow and

thrive in areas where there is an

abundance of sediment made up

of clay, sand and mud, which is

often at the mouths of river deltas

(Missouri Botanical Garden, 2002).

Mangroves

Species being tolerant of pollution

5

Despite several anthropogenic

stresses, the mudflats of the

Thane Creek fulfil the food re-

quirement for diversity of bird

species mainly waders. (Sheetal

Chaudhary-Pachpande et al.,

2016) However,

Creeks and inlets that are connect-

ed to the sea are unique coastal

aquatic ecosystems, therefore,

Thane Creek has many unique

characteristics. First, there are dif-

ferent levels of salinity within dif-

ferent parts of the creek and other

creeks similar to it. The biodiver-

sity in these ecosystems have dif-

ferent levels of salinity tolerance,

so there is a variety of species in

the various salinity zones within

the ecosystem. Also, In the aquatic

ecosystems where the wave force

is weak, there are calmer condi-

tions which facilitate the formation

of mudflats. These calm condi-

tions allow for the nutrient-rich

humus, clay and silt to settle into

the form of mudflat. The creek has

a large number of mudflats along

its banks which therefore provides

the means for mangrove forests

as well. Mangroves in most cases

are essential because the man-

grove forests provide a variety of

ecosystem services which include

the prevention of coastal erosion,

support for community assem-

blage and they serve as sinks for

micro and macronutrients. Nutri-

ents from the seawater are turned

into natural food for the fauna that

grows within these forests through

the mangroves plants. Also, the

fallen foliage from the mangroves

provides nutrients for the aquat-

ic ecosystem and complex food

webs. A large variety of freshwa-

ter fish come to the nutrient-rich

banks and mudflats of the creek to

lay their eggs, and their offspring

will grow in the sheltered breeding

grounds before returning to the

sea. The mangroves and mudflats,

therefore, provide the complex

ecosystem of species which play a

significant role in fishing in these

areas. According to the Salim Ali

Centre Ornithology and Natu-

ral History, surveys reported, “15

species of mangroves, 155 species

of birds, 44 species of phytoplank-

ton, 24 species of zooplankton, 22

species of molluscs and 72 species

of insects.” In addition, there used

to be a variety of fish, prawns and

crabs that were found in the area

up until 1980 (R. P. Athalye, 2013).

In recent years Thane Creek has

been experiencing mangrove inun-

dation and a decrease in the num-

ber of mudflats and water mass.

The creek is surrounded by large

industrial zones such as Mumbai

and Thane Belapur areas, and in

1995 the creek became a dumping

ground for massive quantities of

solid wastes. There has been a sig-

nificant decrease in the dissolved

oxygen levels in the creek due to

the increase in sewage, siltation

and runoff dumping into the creek

which has caused anoxia and

eutrophication which has affected

the biodiversity in the area. Also,

the decrease in clay and increase

in silt in the creek has made the

mudflats less hard and therefore

Biodiversity of mangrove and

mudflats ecosystems

softer and sinking which has a di-

rect effect on the survival rates on

the eggs of fish, prawns and crabs.

The mud quality was not sufficient

enough for the survival of prawns

and mudskippers, which have both

now been eliminated from the

creek (R. P. Athalye, 2013).

6

VanashaktiVanashakti is a Mumbai based non profit environmental NGO whose thrust areas are forest, mangrove and wetland protection, environmental education for schools both urban and rural, livelihoods for forest based communities and scientific investigation into local environmental degradation.

Vanashakti is founded by citizens who have a commitment to fulfil the constitutional obligation of protecting the environment; coasts, forests, wildlife, wetlands and rivers. We believe that all sections of the society need to be sensitized to the need to protect and conserve our natural wealth and resources.

We believe that our planet is entrusted to us for care-taking, to be used sustainably and handed over to the next generation with all its glory and values intact. We need to make people aware that they have a stake in the world around them.

They must be educated so that they can then take informed decisions. We believe that if we create informed awareness, people will be able to take a stand on issues that could impact them in the short term and in the long run.

SagarshaktiSagarshakti is the coastal and marine research division of Vanashakti that focusses on marine biodiversity research, indigenous coastal community livelihood and sustenance mitigation measures and representation and coastal land use conservation of wildlife and morphologies.

7

Thank You

8

Sarita Fernandes

Nandu Pawar

VANASHAKTI & NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, BOSTON

SAGARSHAKTI

COASTAL AND MARINE RESEARCH DIVISION

LIVELIHOOD IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF SMALL-SCALE INLAND FISHERS (SSIF)

DUE TO RISING SEA LEVELS AND SILTATION IN THANE CREEK,

MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA.

25th July, 2019

Literature Review

MANGROVE INUNDATION AS AN

ISSUE:

Hindustan Times.com published

an article about the increasing

and pressing need to take action

to save the Thane Creek wetlands

from various harmful anthropo-

genic forces. Thane Creek is 26km

long, situated in between Mumbai

Harbor and two shipping ports.

The narrower upper area of the

creek has mudflats, salt pans and

diversity rich mangrove forests.

According to Bombay Natural

History Society and Salim Ali

Centre for Ornithology and Natu-

ral History, there are over 160 bird

species and nine mangrove species

of mangrove trees as well as many

species of birds, fish and insects.

These species and phytoplankton

are vital for the ecosystem and

the local fishing industry as they

provide the base for aquatic life

and food for the different aquatic

life species. In addition, hundreds

of birds that use the Central Asian

Flyway for migration which stops

in the wetland and the Flamingo

Sanctuary. There are four spe-

cies of birds that live there and 14

migratory birds that are all in the

area and have been given a high

grade of protective status under

the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.

Also, the Thane Creek Area is the

second-largest natural area in

Mumbai, and the government has

dedicated 1.6 km2 for the Thane

Creek Flamingo Sanctuary. (Hindu-

stan Times, 2019)

The article then discusses that the

anthropogenic activities near the

creek are having detrimental ef-

fects on the ecosystem. According

to the article, the Bombay Natural

History Society did a study and

concluded that the BPS (Bhand-

up Sewage Pumping Station) has

released enough sediment that has

shrunk the Thane Creek area from

3.5 km2 in 1975 to 1 km2 in 2018.

This sedimentation has facilitated

the increase of mangrove forests,

and only one species can survive

in poor water quality, leading

to a decrease in the diversity of

the ecosystem. According to the

article, the mangrove cover in the

area surrounding the creek has in-

creased by 53% from 1973 to 2018.

(Hindustan Times, 2019)

The article concludes by stating

that there are ways to restore the

creek and its biodiversity. In the

studies mentioned in the article, it

was found that there were more

fish species near the mouth of

the creek where there is larger

water mass and diluted sewage

and pollutants. The article claims

that if the sewage and siltation go

through distilling and treatment,

there would be less harmful ef-

fects on the ecosystem. (Hindustan

Times, 2019)

Abstract

Thane Creek is an inlet within

Mumbai that separates the city

from the mainland and connects

to the Arabian Sea. The creek has

been home to many species of

flora and fauna. Thane Creek also

has supported the fishing activ-

ities of the Koli, one the oldest

fishing communities in Mumbai.

The biodiversity and therefore the

livelihoods of the fishermen have

become vulnerable within recent

years due to mangrove inundation.

Three major landfills are pouring

into the creek causing an increase

in siltation in the water. Mangroves

are one of the few species that are

tolerant of polluted water; because

of this, and the rising sea levels

due to climate change, there has

been an inundation of mangroves.

This overgrowth is choking the

river and converting areas that

were once mudflats into swamp

areas. Mudflats are integral to the

survival of a variety of fish and bird

species. This study seeks to under-

stand how the inundation of man-

groves is impacting the livelihoods

of small scale inland fisherfolk like

the Koli creek fishers of Mumbai.

9

Singare, P., & Singare, P. (2010).

Soil Pollution along Kalwa Bridge

at Thane Creek of Maharashtra,

India. Retrieved from https://www.

academia.edu/22037046/Soil_Pol-

lution_along_Kalwa_Bridge_at_

Thane_Creek_of_Maharashtra_In-

dia

The Journal of Environmental Pro-

tection published an insightful ar-

ticle about the significant pollution

happening in Thane Creek titled

‘Soil Pollution along Kalwa Bridge

at Thane Creek of Maharashtra

India’ by Pravin Singare. The article

dives into how the creek has such

a complex and diverse ecosys-

tem with no self-cleaning ability,

and therefore readily accumulate

pollutants. With the creek being

surrounded by three significant

unrestricted dumping grounds,

large amounts of waste and pol-

lutants are draining into the creek

at an alarming rate. The sewage

effluents “contain an appreciable

amount of nutrients and therefore,

the fertility levels of the soil are im-

proved considerably under sewage

irrigation of crops” (Singare, 2010).

With the city of Mumbai rapid-

ly continuing with its industrial

growth, waste management strat-

egies are struggling to keep up,

which is causing health risks not

only for the local community but

for the mangrove ecosystem. With-

out better control over waste and

pollution entering Thane Creek, the

Mangrove Inundation will continue

to increase in size and therefore

decrease the number of mudflats

and the water mass of the creek.

(Singare et al., 2010)

Daigle, K. and Singh, M. (August 15,

2018). As waters rise, coastal meg-

acities like Mumbai face catastro-

phe. Science News. Retrieved July

31, 2019, from:

https://www.sciencenews.org/

article/waters-rise-coastal-megaci-

ties-mumbai-face-catastrophe

Science News published the arti-

cle, ‘As waters rise, coastal meg-

acities like Mumbai face catastro-

phe’ by Katie Daigle and Maanvi

Singh in 2018. The article remarks

on the growing threat of flood-

ing, specifically in Mumbai due to

climate change because of rising

sea levels, more intense storms,

and more torrential rains. In 2017,

a year before the articles publica-

tion, at least 14 people in Mumbai

were killed from torrential flooding.

(Daigle, K et al. 2018)

Apart from the life-threatening

aspects of flooding, if nothing is

done, globally, coastal flooding

will cost over $1 trillion annually by

2050. Mumbai is the second-most

economically vulnerable city with

$6.4 billion at stake. Part of the

issue is that the city is built on land

that used to be underwater, so

now during high tides and mon-

soon the water no longer has the

passages to flow through. (Daigle,

K et al. 2018)

According to tide gauge data,

Mumbai’s coastal waters rose over

nine centimetres during the 20th

century, but the state has ignored

to 2017 Supreme Court order to

release maps documenting future

flood lines. Daigle and Singh argue

that structural engineering is not

the answer; walls will prevent mon-

soon water from draining. They

conclude the article by suggesting

that to solve the issue, they must

work with nature not against it.

(Daigle, K et al. 2018)

Salagrama, V. (May 2012). Climate

Change and Fisheries: Perspec-

tives from Small-scale Fishing

Communities in India on Measures

to Protect Life and Livelihood.

International Collective in Sup-

port of Fishworkers. Retrieved

July 31, 2019, from: http://aquat-

iccommons.org/11190/1/Climate_

Change_Full.pdf

In 2012, Venkatesh Salagrama pub-

lished the report, “Climate Change

and Fisheries: Perspectives from

Small-scale Fishing Communities

in India on Measures to Protect

Life and Livelihood” for the In-

ternational Collective in Support

of Fishworkers. The report set

out to assess the perception of

the impact of climate change on

the livelihoods of various fishing

communities in India, identify their

preparedness and adaptation for

climate change, and propose pro-

tective measures and policies that

can be enacted at different levels.

It was found that rising sea lev-

els, temperatures, and salinity;

changing weather patterns, water

currents, and shorelines; increased

mudflows and turbidity have all

impacted fisher’s livelihoods. The

impact of these ecological chang-

es on fishers includes lack of

access to fish and coastal resourc-

es, sea safety concerns, economic

barriers, weakened quality of life,

and more.

Salagrama notes that fishers are

not being represented in deci-

sion-making processes related to

conservation and climate change

through their livelihoods are being

impacted first-hand. In the final

section, Salagrama includes strat-

egies to better address fishing

communities needs in the face

of climate change through policy

making, awareness, disaster pre-

paredness and more.

10

Methods

Qualitative data collection:

Documentation, field notes and

observations of threats, sources

and impacts of mangrove

inundation on small scale inland

fishers (SSIF) in Thane creek.

Quantitative data collection:

Survey sheets for assessing the

livelihood impacts due to

mangrove inundation on small

scale inland fishers (SSIF) in Thane

creek.

QUESTIONNAIRE:

NAME OF FISHERMAN:

AGE:

PLACE OF FISHING:

TYPE OF FISHING ACTIVTY:

TYPE OF BOAT:

YEARS OF FISHING:

MONTHLY INCOME:

SOURCES:

SURVEY SHEET

Do you know what is mangrove

inundation (overgrowth of

mangroves) ?

Do you know the location of

mangrove inundation in your area?

Has mangrove inundation

impacted your fishing in any way?

If yes, how.

Has mangrove inundation

impacted your monthly income

(sources through inland fishing)

Could you give reasons on why

mangrove inundation is taking

place in Thane creek?

Have you ever approached any

government authority in

addressing mangrove inundation

and inland fishing activities?

If yes, to whom and any response/

mitigation measures?

Do you see mangrove inundation

as an issue?

If yes, give reasons.

If no, give reasons.

11

Results and Findings

Based on the survey quantitative

data collection of Thane creek fish-

ermen:

10/10 [100%] fishermen said they

knew the exact location of man-

grove inundation taking place in the

Thane creek. The exact locations

specified were Bhandup Pumping

Station, Airoli, Vashi and Thane.

10/10 [100%] fishermen said they

knew what mangrove inundation

was, from which 90% found man-

grove inundation as an issue and

10% did not find mangrove inunda-

tion as an issue.

9/10 [90%] of the fishermen in-

terviewed found that mangrove

inundation had a negative impact

on their fishing activities and 9/10

[90%] of fishermen found the

inundation to have negatively

impacted their monthly income.

The reasons the fishermen cited as

the source of mangrove inundation

were

a. Siltation

b. The government does

not mitigate any measures

to control the overgrowth

of mangroves in specific

fishing-mudflat areas.

c. The government law

of replantation of 5 times

the mangroves cut for vari

ous development projects.

d. The non-existence of

filtration infrastructure

of sewage water being re

leased into the creek.

e. Sea-level rise

f. The Thane creek area be

ing overtaken by dumping

grounds and its siltation.

6/10 [60%] fishermen surveyed

approached some government au-

thority about mangrove inundation

due to the above listed reasons as

an issues and 4/10 [40 %] did not

approach any government author-

ity.

Of the 60% of fishermen that ap-

proached any government author-

ity, 100% of zero mitigation mea-

sures or replies were reported by

the fishermen in addressing man-

grove inundation as an issue.

12

Based on Qualitative data collected

by documentation, field notes and

observations,

Documentation observed debris

from the landfills floating into the

creek at Airoli and Bhandup

pumping station. Secondary data

cited three landfills present on the

mouth of the creek at Mulund,

Kanjurmarg and Deonar.

Field notes and observations of

the creek fishing taking place in

the Bhandup Pumping Station area

observed the black silt rising to the

surface and collected into the nets

of the creek fishermen. The silt also

witnessed a foul odour assumably

from the untreated sewage being

dumped into the creek.

The increase in siltation and sewage

dumping into Thane Creek has

facilitated the inundation of

mangrove forests around the creek.

While mangrove forests are usually

vital for the coastal ecosystem, in

the case of Thane Creek, it is having

a negative impact.

With the increase in siltation and

sewage from the landfills and other

anthropogenic activities in the area,

the mangroves are overgrowth and

therefore decreasing the water

mass of the creek. If this continues

the creek will end up as swamp.

Recommendations

The following are policy recommen-

dations the study aims to provide

the city and environment depart-

ment authorities in combating the

mangrove inundation issue faced

by small scale inland fishers due to

siltation due to untreated sewage,

landfill run-off and sea-level rise.

REGULATION ON DUMPING OF

SEWAGE AND DEBRIS IN THE

CREEK

The study found vast amounts of

debris floating in the creek along

with secondary data sources that

indicated the dumping of untreated

sewage into the creek. The sew-

age according to scientific papers

cited the conducive environment

it provides for mangroves to grow

over mudflats and over time turn

the creek into a mangrove swamp.

Strict regulations must be imposed

over the discharge of untreated

sewage and landfill run-off into the

Thane creek.

BETTER WASTE TREATMENT

FACILITIES OF LANDFILLS LOCAT-

ED ON THE CREEK

The landfills located on the creek

must have better infrastructure

facilities to adequately dispose and

decompose the wet and dry waste

to prevent debris from entering into

the creek. During documentation

and observations on field, it was no-

ticed more amount of debris were

found within mangrove covers than

mudflats areas making clearing of

debris even more difficult due to

more mangroves overgrowing in the

creek, blocking tidal water and im-

pacting mudflat marine biodiversity

and ultimately the small scale inland

fishers.

13

GOVERNMENT FUNDED

SCIENTIFIC STUDIES ON

MANGROVE INUNDATION DUE TO

SILTATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE

IN THANE CREEK

The scientific research agencies

of the government must conduct

technical studies on the overgrowth

of mangroves in Thane creek and

find mitigation measures based on

scientific principles to protect the

creek, it’s mudflats and the biodi-

versity and livelihoods it supports.

THE REPLANTATION OF OVER-

GROWN MANGROVES IN OTHER

AREAS.

The overgrown mangroves can be

replanted in other areas where such

an issue of anthropogenic strain of

siltation does not exist to protect

the mangrove cover and trees and

avoiding the unsustainable cutting

down of mangroves in the Thane

creek regions of mangrove inunda-

tion.

SMALL SCALE INLAND FISHERS (SSIFs):

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization defines the small-scale fish-

ery sector as an industry that is “firmly rooted in local communities, traditions, and

values” (FAO.org). The fishermen tend to be self-employed and provide fish for their

communities and their families. The FAO notes that women are significant participants

in the sector, as they are essential to the post-harvest and processing ventures. This

industry provides more jobs to people in local communities and a boost in economic

drive compared to other marine sector counterparts (Smith, 2019). Small Scale Inland

Fishermen (SSIF) play an essential role in food security, community nourishment and

economic growth, but this tends to be overshadowed by the “perceived importance of

the industrial sector in fisheries science and policy” (Smith, 2019).

For Small Scale Inland Fishermen, opportunities for alternative work are limited in the

communities. With an increase in threats like pollution, environmental degradation,

climate change impacts, and natural and human-induced disasters, the livelihood of

the small-scale fishing communities is at risk (FAO.org). These elements add to the

difficulty for “small-scale producers to make their voices heard, defend their human

rights, and secure the sustainable use of the natural resources on which they depend”

(FAO.org). In Mumbai, the outside forces of Mangrgove inundation occurring in Thane

Creek are causing this type of vulnerability within the fishing community over the past

couple of years (Smith, 2019).

Stories from Indian fishermen

17

The mangroves are growing faster and faster. Earlier (its been over a century)

there used to be so many flamingoes at the thane creek. The flamingoes can

thrive only on a flat surface or an open ground. The overgrowth of mangroves

will take over the entire thane creek.

Where will the flamingoes sit? The tourism will suffer due to this. It will capture

70% of the seating area of the flamingoes. After 5 or 10 years the quantity of

flamingoes that migrate and come to thane creek will completely stop. There is

also the fishing problem as the mangroves are capturing the creek. There wont

be any open fishing ground in the next few years and this will stop the fishing

completely.

“

“

18

Name: Bharat Khedekar

Airoli to Vashi

What is your type of fishing activity?

-

What type of boat do you use?

Motorized boat

How many years have you been fishing?

40-45 years

What is your monthly income?

20-25000 rupees

how much was it before when the fishing

was better?

The thing is there were a lot of fish in the sea

before so the pricing were low, now the fish-

es are less but I get a better price at sale.

Is fishing your only source of income?

there was no other source of income back then,

we were young and this is all we knew.

Do you know what mangrove inundation is?

To tell you, after the Tsunami they have

stopped chopping the mangroves because of

which there is no space for the Fishermen to

catch the fish. We don’t have the space and op-

portunity to catch the fishes like we did before

because of the trees, our chance to catch them

is gone.

Do you know the location of mangrove inun-

dation?

Vashi to Thane, the entire creek.

Has mangrove inundation impacted your fish-

ing in anyway?

The fishing space has reduced because we

don’t have the chance to trap the fishes with

nets.

Has mangrove inundation impacted your

monthly income in anyway?

It hasn’t really affected my income because I

am getting a better price on the sale of fish,

but earlier we were able to catch a lot more

fishes and now we cant find them in the same

quantity.

Could you give reasons on why mangrove in-

undation is taking place in Thane creek?

-

Have you ever approached any government

authority in addressing mangrove inundation

and island fishing activities?

I have written and sent letters to the fishing

department mantralaya

Do you see mangrove inundation as an issue?

Yes it’s a big problem.

Name: Dinanath

Age: 56 years old.

19


Yes

Do you know the location of mangrove inunda-

tion?

The entire stretch from Thane to

Vashi.


ing in anyway?

Yes it has affected the fishing pro cess

because of which it has affected my income.

Could you give reasons on why mangrove inun-

dation is taking place in Thane creek?

Mangroves aren’t getting chopped anymore

because of the government, that is why they are

growing in numbers.




I have, filed a complaint and everything.


Big/huge problem. Its not just me,

everyone is getting affected. When I put my

fishing net in a lot of garbage gets caught in

them.

Where is your place of fishing?

Name: Baba Gi

Age: 51


From Vashi to Thane


Does the fishing by boat

Are they creek fishers?

Yes, creek fishers (translator)


Motorised.


Approximately 40 years.


15-20,000 approximately.


Yes.

20


Bhandup, BPS area


Creek fishing

What type of boat does he use?

Motorized boat


30 years


Right now it is around 100-150 rs/day, earlier

it was 1000rs/day.


this the only source of income, we make

around 400 and whatever left is used to pre-

serve the creek


Yes

Do you know the location of mangrove inun-

dation?

The entire BPS area


ing in anyway?

Yes

How?

The mangrove make the water dirty with the

seeds, the color of the water changes to black

and the water is dirty



Yes, it has. Earlier we could make some money

but now its really scarce

Could you give reasons on why mangrove in-

undation is taking place in Thane creek?

If it were open the water would take the seeds

away but because it’s a creek the seeds stay

there




No, I don’t know who to talk to about this


yes

why?

Because the water is dirty

Name: Ashok Maruti koparkar

Age: 52 years old

21

Name: Pandurang Keni

Age: 43


bhandup


Creek fishing


Motorized boat


25 years


We would be earing around 30000 rupees

around 2years back, now we get around 15-18

grand a month


yes, fishing is the only source of income


Yes


tion?

Bhandup, (from the translator) in the BPS area


ing in anyway?

Yes there is an impact, fishing has reduced.

There are no mangroves in the open areas but in

the creeks we find them



yes



Water levels are decreasing right? Because of

which the seeds accumulate and stay there, this

is they are increasing in numbers.




no


Yes, the area of fishing reduced because of the

mangroves

22

How long have you been fishing in thane

creek?

Been since fishing 50 years .

How have you seen the fishing change over the

years because of mangrove inundation ?

Before it was a deep creek . Due to the man-

groves it has become shallow. Also, the heavy

siltation and deposits in the creek has played a

role in the same .

Has it affected the biodiversity of Fish?

Yes it has affected our fishing activities and

drastically reduced the quantity of fishes due to

the pollution ,quality of water in the creek . This

has affected our livelihood as well .

Has it also impacted your monthly income?

Yes it has . Earlier my income was 20-25 thou-

sand rupees a month But now it is hardly 5-10

thousand rupees a month .

Do you think there are measures that the gov-

ernment or other bodies can take to amend

this issue ?

No.They have done nothing neither are they

listening . The government has taken no major

steps to curb this issue . we do not have any

political support ( from Ramesh patil) in this

matter . They are not addressing our real prob-

lems . there are certain pharmaceutical compa-

nies which discharge their waste into the creek

without any proper scientific treatment . This

has impacted our fishing and the fishing com-

munity adversely. But this was controlled by our

local leader Bandekar (not sure about the name

) as he had done a lot of work for the communi-

ty . But now he has retired so there is no help as

such .

What do you see as the future of the creek and

the fishermen?

It has been filtered and polluted very badly . I

think that the future is going to be bad for both

. Fisheswont be able to survive in such toxic wa-

ters. The city sewage is not treated and contains

toxic chemiccaals and pesticides .

Are there any other comments that you would

like to make?

Yes the silt has to be removed. If this is not

done then the size of the creek will become

narrower as time passes by . This is impacting

everything so I do not see a bright future for the

fishing community . So something needs to be

done as soon as possible .


Yes


tion?

Bhandup, (from the translator) in the BPS area


ing in anyway?

Yes there is an impact, fishing has reduced.

There are no mangroves in the open areas but in

the creeks we find them



yes



Water levels are decreasing right? Because of

which the seeds accumulate and stay there, this

is they are increasing in numbers.




no


Yes, the area of fishing reduced because of the

mangroves

23

Name: Dharma patil

24

The effects have actually been seen from both sides. First, the water is contaminat-

ed which has caused a loss in marine life. Due to the overgrowth of mangroves, fish

aren’t compelled to stay. You see these fruits, when they fall and rot in the water,

many fish die from this contaminated water. I mean there has been a complete loss

of income. Us forest dwellers believe that we should not cut mangroves. When there

were plenty of mangrove forests here, there were many fish here. Now there are

fewer fish, and too many mangroves. That’s why the fish don’t stay in the creek. Be-

cause these black fish eat only mud and can’t eat the roots of the mangrove trees.

This is why their offspring are unable to feed well. The moment the roots start form-

ing in the mud, there is no space for the fish to sit. That is why they don’t wait and

move on. I said this earlier but the overgrowth of mangrove roots makes it difficult

for fish to sit. Even if we plant our own trees, the mangrove roots overpower and

engulf the rest of the plants. They make their way to the top from all sides. Yeah,

they cover the whole breeding ground.

“

“

25

Name: Sandeep Patil

Acknowledgments

26

Name: Ramesh Mhatre Name: Rajesh Koli

Name: Ganesh Koli Name: Chandan Madavi

Student Contributors

Liz Anton

Major: International Affairs and Human ServicesMinor: Global SocialEntrepreneurship

Serena Buscarello

Major: Environmental Studies and International Affairs

27

Student Contributors

Kendall Trelegan

Major: Political Science

Micayla Chow

Major: Experience DesignMinor: Global SocialEntrepreneurship

28

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