Conservationists in Nilgiris call for halt to fishing within Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, say it is impacting birds, water animals

Illegal and regulated fishing in the buffer zone of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve may impact biodiversity and wildlife.

Both regulated and illegal fishing within the buffer zone of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) could be impacting food availability and as a consequence, biodiversity around waterbodies and wetlands within the protected area, say birdwatchers and conservationists.

Fishing is allowed in select lakes and waterbodies in the Nilgiris with appropriate permits issued by the T.N. Fisheries Department. While waterbodies such as Pykara, Glenmorgan and the Kamaraj Sagar Dam lie outside designated protected areas, and therefore, do not negatively impact local biodiversity, some waterbodies where fishing is allowed lie within protected areas, such as Maravakandy Dam near Masinagudi in the MTR buffer zone.

Birdwatchers and naturalists say that over the past few years, intensification of fishing in the Maravakandy Dam has led to fewer birds as well as aquatic mammals such as otters being seen in the area. “During the Covid-19 lockdown, when there was no fishing, otters could be spotted with regularity around the dam, while migratory birds such as Ospreys were also spotted,” said a birdwatcher and naturalist who regularly visits the area.

He said that the area was home to both native biodiversity as well as migratory species. “However, I suspect that fishing in the area is causing disturbances to native birdlife, as species such as the Pied kingfisher, which were spotted in large numbers, have become virtually undetectable over the past few years.”

Local residents also say that fishing is being carried out in an abandoned stone quarry in the same area, which is used by a population of Wooly-necked storks, classified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as “vulnerable,” as well as rare mammals such as striped hyenas. “The quarry is also used as an illegal site to dump waste generated within Masinagudi. Despite efforts made by the local panchayat to ensure that waste is processed nearby, and not dumped into the quarry, illegal dumping still occurs clandestinely,” said R. Umabathi, a local resident.

When contacted, N. Jothilakshmanan, Assistant Director of Fisheries (Nilgiris district), said that only the capture of the common carp fish was allowed in Maravakandy Dam, and that fishing in the area was highly regulated, including specifications on the types of nets used that would ensure only large fish are captured.