Key Points

This initiative follows the remarkable success of a pilot fishnet collection centre launched at the Kasimedu Fishing Harbour in Chennai in August 2024.

According to officials, the pilot centre has, until May 2025, collected over 18.5 tonnes of marine litter and Abandoned, Lost or Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG).

As part of the incentive scheme, ₹7.21 lakh has been distributed to fishermen who participated in the recycling efforts.

"These materials would have otherwise remained in the ocean, causing significant harm to marine life and habitats," an official from the Environment Department said and added, "The pilot project's success has shown that community-led recycling can play a critical role in coastal conservation."

A recent assessment conducted across 64 coastal villages in 13 districts of Tamil Nadu found that ALDFG constitutes the primary source of beach litter, with an average density of 1.14 items per square metre.

The study underscores the urgent need for strengthening Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mechanisms and improving waste reception infrastructure at fishing harbours.

ALDFG includes discarded fishnets, ropes, traps, buoys, and plastic fishing gear.

These items not only degrade marine habitats but also pose entanglement and ingestion hazards to marine animals, contributing significantly to biodiversity loss and coastal degradation.

The findings align with a comprehensive research study published in the Elsevier Marine Pollution Bulletin in February 2025.

The study, conducted by the Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute (SDMRI) in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and Italy's National Fishing Technology and Operations Team (NFIFO), examined litter in 52 coastal villages.

According to the study, discarded fishing gear made up 47.46 per cent of the total beach litter, followed by plastics at 39.64 per cent and non-plastic waste at 12.9 per cent.

The litter density ranged from 0.18 to 6.3 items/m², with an average weight of 0.05 kg/m².

A total of 6,132 debris items, weighing 201 kg, were collected from a 1,040-metre shoreline surveyed across 13 districts.

Pudukkottai district recorded the highest litter concentration at 2.68 items/m², followed by Villupuram.

Besides fishing-related waste, beaches also saw debris from recreational activities, including bottle caps (25 per cent), food wrappers (19 per cent), and plastic bags (12 per cent), alongside paper, cardboard, and glass bottles.

With the expansion of fishnet collection centres, Tamil Nadu aims to make its coastline cleaner and more resilient, while fostering environmental responsibility among fishing communities.

- IANS