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Land Ocean Interaction in the Coastal Zone (LOICZ), Germany
 
Capacity Building
Workshop to ensure Fishworkers participation in the implementation of CRZ 2011
13-14 June 2011 at Koodal Hall, Anna University, Chennai
The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, is implementing CRZ 2011 to supersede CRZ 1991. The main objectives of the CRZ 2011 notification are to ensure livelihood security to the fishing communities and other local communities living along the coastal areas, and to conserve and protect coastal stretches to promote coastal development in a sustainable manner, based on scientific principles, taking into account the dangers of natural hazards in the coastal areas and sea level rise due to global warming. Since the fishing communities traditionally live in coastal areas, they have been given primary importance in the CRZ Notification 2011. It may be noted that no restrictions are being imposed on any fishing activities and allied activities of the traditional fishing communities in this area.

At several coastal stretches of the country the fishermen and their dwelling units are in danger due to erosion, which is occurring primarily due to manmade activities. Development of such manmade foreshore activities shall be regulated after identifying and demarcating the coast as falling under various categories such as “high erosion”, medium and low erosion and stable coast . Considering the impacts on fishermen community, the CRZ 2011 notification directed that while preparing the Coastal Zone Management Plans the infrastructures essential for fishing communities, fishing zones in the water bodies and fish breeding areas shall also be clearly delineated.

The CRZ 2011 Notification requires the State Coastal Zone Management Authorities to invite comments on the draft Coastal Zone Management Plan from stakeholders. This will ensure that for the first time, local Workshop to Ensure Fishworkers Participation in Implementation of CRZ 2011 communities including fishermen communities, will participate in the preparation of the CZMPs. The Notification allows infra structural facilities for the local fishing communities to be constructed in the CRZ-III area. Reconstruction, repair works of dwelling units of local communities, including fisheries in accordance with local Town and Country Planning Regulations, has been made permissible in CRZ-III areas where 0-200 metres is a “No Development Zone” (NDZ). In order to meet the demands of dwelling units of traditional coastal communities including fisher-folk, the NDZ has been reduced to 100 metres. Hence, dwelling units of such communities can be constructed between 100-200 metres from High Tide Line along the seafront with the approval of the State Government and the MoEF.
Water area up to 12 nautical miles and the tidal influenced water bodies have been included under the Coastal Regulation Zone areas in order to:
  • Control the discharge of untreated sewage, effluents and the disposal of solid wastes as such activities endanger the fish and their ecosystem 
  • Conserve and protect habitats in the marine area such as corals and coral reefs and associated bio diversity, marine sanctuaries and biosphere reserves, sea grass beds etc. which act as spawning, nursery and rearing grounds for fish and fisheries
  • Regulate activities in the marine and coastal waters such as dredging, sand mining, discharge of waste from ships, constructions like groynes, breakwaters, etc. including reclamation which have serious impacts on fishing and allied activities
  • Enable studies of the coastal and marine waters with regard to the impact of climate change and the occurrence of disasters which have serious impacts on the livelihood and property of the fisher-folk communities.
As an initiative to involve fisherfolk in the implementation of CRZ 2011, the Society of Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM) in association with the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), is conducting a two-day workshop on “Initiatives of fishermen participation in the implementation of CRZ 2011”. Five participants from each coastal state belonging to coastal civil society, fishermen and NGOs are invited to participate in the workshop. Participant’s expenditures of second class train fare, and Rs. 1,000 as living cost for two days will be provided