Mumbai coastal road could hit fishing: Experts
TNN | Apr 10, 2019, 08:32 IST
Picture used for representational purpose onlyMUMBAI: Bombay high court on Tuesday directed BMC to reply to an expert body's preliminary report that the coastal road could affect fishing activities.
A bench headed by chief justice Pradeep Nandrajog heard a petition by two societies of fishermen who have sought a stop to reclamation between Banganga and Worli.
Senior advocate Gayatri Singh submitted a report by ICAR-Mumbai Research Centre of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute which conducted a rapid survey over two days.
The report said 25 fishing boats are operating from Lotus jetty and almost 85% of the area is being reclaimed. There is no fishing due to reclamation, depriving fishermen of their livelihood, it added.
It informed the area is an oyster bed and the rocky area where oysters breed are proposed to be reclaimed. "Due to this, the livelihood of local hand-pickers, mainly the fisherwomen, may get affected,'' it added. It stated that nearshore water can act as a nursery for juveniles of some commercially important species of fish. However, a detailed study was needed to arrive at any conclusion.
The report said the impact of geomorphological changes to fisheries and habitat needs to be assessed continuously and a two-day rapid survey is insufficient to state the impact on fisheries activity or resources. The court has sought BMC's reply and posted the next hearing on April 22.
A bench headed by chief justice Pradeep Nandrajog heard a petition by two societies of fishermen who have sought a stop to reclamation between Banganga and Worli.
Senior advocate Gayatri Singh submitted a report by ICAR-Mumbai Research Centre of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute which conducted a rapid survey over two days.
The report said 25 fishing boats are operating from Lotus jetty and almost 85% of the area is being reclaimed. There is no fishing due to reclamation, depriving fishermen of their livelihood, it added.
It informed the area is an oyster bed and the rocky area where oysters breed are proposed to be reclaimed. "Due to this, the livelihood of local hand-pickers, mainly the fisherwomen, may get affected,'' it added. It stated that nearshore water can act as a nursery for juveniles of some commercially important species of fish. However, a detailed study was needed to arrive at any conclusion.
The report said the impact of geomorphological changes to fisheries and habitat needs to be assessed continuously and a two-day rapid survey is insufficient to state the impact on fisheries activity or resources. The court has sought BMC's reply and posted the next hearing on April 22.
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