ion of Fishermen Societies (SIFFS) in Trivandrum, Kerala, on 10 January 2005. The following are the recommendations made by the Consultation:
1. Coastal zone protection
6. Social security measures
This article comes from Tsunami 2004 India: Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction
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Marine fisheries and aquaculture infrastructure in many coastal areas destroyed or damaged
13 January 2005 , Rome -- The tsunami waves have had a devastating impact on the fisheries sector in many countries of the Indian Ocean , FAO said today.
In Sri Lanka , more than 7 500 fishers have been killed by the tsunami and over 5 600 are still missing. More than 5 000 Sri Lankan fishing families have been displaced and 80 percent of coastal fishing vessels have been completely destroyed or very seriously damaged, including around 19 000 boats. Ten out of the 12 main fishing harbours in the country have been completely devastated including infrastructure such as ice plants, cold rooms, workshops and slipways.
FAO has already sent fisheries experts to Sri Lanka to advise the government on the repair and rehabilitation of fishing harbours and infrastructure, fishing boats and fishing gear.
In the Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam Province of Indonesia , where 42 000 fishers and their families live, 70 percent of the small-scale fishing fleet have been destroyed. In Nias Island , about 800 fishing canoes have been destroyed. Two thirds of local fisherfolk from the capital Banda Aceh were killed by the waves.
Fish farming was severely affected in northern Sumatra with about 1 000 fish cage farms having been completely destroyed.
"FAO is currently assessing the damage and will help the government and local authorities to repair and replace fishing boats and gear and start with the initial repair of water fishponds and infrastructure so that fish production can be resumed as soon as possible," said Jeremy Turner, Chief of the Fishery Technology Service.
In the affected coastal areas of Thailand , 386 fishing villages with a population of around 120 000 people have lost about 4 500 fishing boats, or their fishing gear has been seriously damaged. Most fishing boats are owned by small-scale, traditional fishers. The total damage to marine capture fisheries alone is estimated at around $16.6 million.
Eight fishing harbours and their infrastructure have been seriously damaged. The affected aquaculture industry has suffered a serious setback. A total of around 15 800 fishing cages have been damaged, this has caused losses of about $33 million. In some areas, seafood supplies have dropped by 90 percent since the tsunami.
FAO is preparing support measures for fisherfolk in six southern Provinces of Thailand providing essential fisheries inputs and assisting in the repair of damaged fishing vessels and damaged fishery infrastructure.
In the Maldives , where a very large part of the population depends on fishing for their livelihood, more than one third of all inhabited islands were severely damaged and hundreds of boats and harbours were destroyed. FAO is planning to assist the country with the repair and replacement of fishing boats, engines and fishing gear as well as with the repair and rehabilitation of fisheries infrastructure.
In the state of Andhra Pradesh in India , fishers along the 1 000 km coastline were the worst hit by the tsunamis. Around 2 000 fishing boats and about 48 000 fishing gears were lost, about 300 000 fishers have lost their jobs. In the state of Tamil Nadu, 591 fishing villages and 30 islands of the Andaman and Nicobar islands have been badly affected by the tsunamis. India 's seafood exports may decline by around 30 percent as a result of the tsunami.
In Myanmar , some 200 villages spread along the southern coast and heavily relying on fishing have been hit by tsunamis and lost fishing vessels, fishing gear and infrastructure. Some 17 seaside fishing villages have been reported as destroyed and at least 53 people as killed by the tsunamis. FAO is preparing for a long-term participation i