THOOTHUKUDI: The Discarded Fishnet Collection Centre, established at the Kasimedu Fishing Harbour in Chennai in August 2024 on a pilot basis, has collected a total of 26,101 kg of marine litter over a period of one year. Following the initiative's success, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) plans to establish the centre in all coastal districts, including Thoothukudi. Besides, the centre has also disbursed a total of Rs 9.93 lakh incentive -- Rs 38 per kg -- to the fishermen for depositing Abandoned, Lost, and Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG) during the same period.

A baseline study, conducted on behalf of the state government by Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute (SDMRI) in 2023-2024 to assess the ALDFG and plastic debris in 52 fishing-dominant villages across 13 coastal districts, has revealed that discarded fishing gear accounted for 47.5% of the litter by number and 46% by weight.

Speaking to TNIE, Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Climate Change & Forests, said that out of the 26 tonnes of marine litter collected, over 23,270 kg of fishing gear have been routed to certified recyclers. The initiative is now being scaled up across all the coastal districts under the TN-SHORE coastal resilience project. While controlling pollution, the initiative also transforms threat of "ghost gear" into a circular economy solution, she added.