17th September 2022
International Coastal Cleanup Day was observed by the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute at its Headquarters in Kochi and in various Regional Centres and Regional Stations today.
The event, which included cleanup drives and awareness initiatives, focused on encouraging people to rid of garbage plaguing beaches and coastal waters aimed at trash-free seas. Awareness was also created among the public about preserving and protecting the world’s oceans and waterways.
Marine biodiversity and Environment Management Division of ICAR-CMFRI, Kochi organized a vessel-based cleanup drive in coastal waters off Kochi deploying the Institute Vessel FV Silver Pompano. A Beach Cleanup Drive was also organized at Fort Kochi on the day. Scientists, technical staff and scholars of the Division participated.
Visakhapatnam Regional Centre organized a cleanliness campaign ‘Fishing for Litter at Sea’ on the occasion. “Fishing for Litter at Sea” is a cleanup activity aiming to remove marine litter from the seabed, which is caught in their nets during fishing activities and disposed of safely on land. The drive was conducted by deploying the Institute research vessel RV Cadalmin 1 in Visakhapatnam coastal waters.
On the occasion, Mandapam Regional Centre organised a beach cleanup activity at Pirappanvalasai beach along the Palk Bay coast in Ramanathapuram District. Pirappanvalasai beach is one among the 75 beaches listed by the Government of India for the cleanup activity for the "Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar/Clean Coast Safe Sea” campaign. Officials from the Department of Fisheries, Mandapam also took part in the event. The cleaning drive was held at the one-kilometre stretch of the beach and the plastic debris comprising worn-out fishing nets, ropes, plastic chappals, thermocol, and glass bottles to the tune of 300 kg was removed and disposed of through municipal waste management.
A beach cleaning programme was organised by Calicut Regional Station at Konadu beach on the day. In order to create awareness among coastal communities, a pamphlet entitled ‘Save the Sea, Say No to Plastics’ was distributed to as many as 50 people in the locality. The pamphlet emphasised mainly the deleterious impact of macro and microplastics on marine eco-sensitive habitats, fishery resources and ultimately on mankind. The pamphlet indicated that if the practice of plastic littering by humans continued, there would be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050.
International Coastal Cleanup Day was also observed by the Mangalore Regional Centre and Research Stations in Mumbai, Karwar and Chennai in a befitting manner.
(Source: ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi)
Like on Facebook
Subscribe on Youtube
Follow on X X
Like on instagram