The fishing community in Poompuhar, one of the coastal districts affected by the 2004 tsunami, is now looking forward to a new beginning in 2010, thanks to the setting up of a centre to process their catch.

The question of how to help those who lost their livelihood was debated at the city-based M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) soon after the Indian Ocean tsunami hit the Tamil Nadu coast in December 2004.

With the government and non-governmental organisations (NGO) offering free houses, boats and other things, MSSRF decided to embark upon a long-term initiative to provide sustainable livelihood solutions to the Poompuhar people.

The result is the Rs.2.7 crore (Rs. 27 million) Fish for All Research and Training Centre on a two-acre plot at Poompuhar or Kaveripoompattinam, around 350 km from here.

“The centre was established with support from Jamsetji Tata Trust and the Tata Education Trust towards a holistic approach for the coastal community in the field of resource management, sustainable livelihood options,” MSSRF Senior Director Sudha Nair told IANS.

It will function as a research/training-cum- demonstration centre for strengthening and diversifying the existing livelihoods and identifying alternative livelihoods for fishing families and the coastal communities.

The 24,000-square foot centre houses two cold storage rooms, ice plants, a fish pre-processing hall conforming to HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) standards, a research laboratory, a training hall, a dormitory, a village resource centre that would give information on climate, sea wave height, potential fishing zones and other market related data.

“Fishermen can bring their catch, get it pre-processed, store it in our cold storages and sell when there is demand instead of continuing with the current practice of capture-consumption,” remarked Nair.

The pre-processing activities (cleaning, sorting, removing the scales and others) will be done by trained fisherwomen.

“The women will be trained for a week at the centre that confirms to HACCP standards thereby increasing their chances of finding a job at full-fledged processing plants,” principal coordinator Sanjeevi Raj told IANS.

“The times are difficult. I hope the training will help me increase the family’s total income,” K. Saroja, who will undergo the training, told IANS.

Though fisherwomen do most of the pre-processing activities at home they still find the training a novel experience.

“At home we use aruvamanai (a traditional Indian vegetable cutter) to cut the fish sitting on the floor. Here we use broad blade stainless steel knife standing near a table. I think the work gets done faster here,” a trainee told IANS.

“We have assisted in the formation of women self-help groups and have trained around 100 women in making value-added products like pickles, fish powder and others,” Raj said.

“Going forward there are plans to start a full-fledged processing division to carry out activities like slicing, packaging of fish to increase the catch realisation,” said Nair.

About the location, Nair said: “The fish catch volume in this region is between 8 and 10 tonnes a day. There is also about 500 hectares of shrimp farming taking place in and around Poompuhar.”

The state government will be building a mini-harbour there and a shrimp unit is being planned by a private group in Poompuhar which is expected to generate demand for the services offered by the centre.

As a part of the initiative, MSSRF has tied up with the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and has set up a college for coastal communities to offer certified short- term training courses that will enhance the skill sets of fisher men/women, fish vendors, non- traditional fishermen and others.

“The fishermen will be trained in use of technology to get market- related information, sea climate and potential catch zones. We will train them on climate resilient work culture,” V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai, vice chancellor of IGNOU, told IANS.