Amid allegations of opening up the fisheries sector to corporates, the Union government’s move to allow offshore mining of construction sand has triggered resentment in Kerala. While various fishers’ unions have threatened to launch a united agitation, the state government has conveyed its disapproval, stating that it will affect the livelihood of the fisherfolk.

Meanwhile, marine geologists have termed it a huge opportunity as Kerala will be earning a huge income through shipping, trade, and GST collection.

The Centre decided to conduct offshore mineral exploration based on a study by the Geological Survey of India which reported 745 million tonnes of sand deposits suitable for construction activities in Kerala’s coastal sea. The Centre has decided to auction sand blocks for offshore mining in five sectors: Ponnani, Chavakkad, Alappuzha, Kollam North, and Kollam South.

The decision to conduct sand mining in the Kollam sector has shocked the fishers as the region is a traditional fishing ground. The Kollam Parappu or Kollam Bank is one of the most productive fishing grounds on the southwest coast of India. The bank has a depth range of 275 to 375 metres. It extends to an area of 3,300 km2 off the coast of Kollam and Alappuzha districts. The region is rich in marine biological diversity, including pink perch, trevally, shrimp, lobster, pomfret, mackerel, oil sardine, Jewfish and Indian salmon.

B Madhusoodana Kurup, a fisheries researcher and founder-vice chancellor of the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), recalled a study carried out two decades back on the impact bottom trawling had on the marine ecosystem.

“It was found that bottom trawling caused massive destruction of the benthic community, the organism found on seabed. The turbidity hampered photosynthesis for 48 hours and stirred pollutants deposited on the ocean bed including heavy metals,” he said. The sand explorers will be using huge dredgers for excavation, which will create lots of plume, Kurup pointed out.

“Turbidity will hamper sunlight penetration and the productivity of the area will be lost. The entire area will become unfertile for a period of time. Due to the non-penetration of sunlight, carbon assimilation will not take place. That will affect phytoplankton, and ultimately, the fish. The toxic metals will jeopardise the ecosystem and reach humans through food chain. The dissolved oxygen content will reduce and fish will migrate to safer zones,” he said.