TSP programmes at Remote Fishing Villages of Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh

As part of the Tribal Sub Plan training programme, FRP coracles were distributed to scheduledtribe fishermen. The schedule tribe fisher villages were identified with the help of StateFisheries Department, Andhra Pradesh. Dr. M.M. Prasad, Scientist-in-Charge, Dr. R. RaghuPrakash and Dr. B. Madhusudana Rao, Senior Scientists, Visakhapatnam Research Centre ofCentral Institute of Fisheries Technology conducted the programme. Shri Prabhu Das, Assistant Director, State Fisheries Department, Andhra Pradesh coordinated the programme.

At Jeenabadu Fishing Village, Raiwada Resrvoir, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh:Two FRP coracles were distributed to the fishermen society of Jeenabadu fishing village. Allthe members of the society were tribal fishers whose livelihood depended entirely on theRaiwada Reservoir. The state fisheries department has stocked the Raiwada Reservoir with 7,95,000 fingerlings of rohu, catla and grass carp. Training cum demonstration programme was conducted on 13 March, 2014 wherein the fishermen of the Society were trained in using the coraclesin the Raiwada Reservoir and the fishers ventured into the reservoir using the coracles. Thefishermen were satisfied with the performance of the FRP coracles. Earlier the fishermen were usingbamboo traps for catching prawns. The role of responsible fisheries technologies in resourceconservation and the role of fishing technological interventions for improving the inland fishingmethods and thereby enhancing and improving the livelihood of fishers were explained to theparticipants. The advantages of foldable traps developed by CIFT when compared to bamboo traps(mainly durability and ability to carry more traps by single fishermen) was explained to the fishers. Foldable traps would be given to the fishermen for user trials. The role of hygienic handling and value added products for income was emphasized during the post harvest session. The fishermen expressed their desire for FRP boats so that they can easily move through vegetation in the reservoir. The fisher folk also expressed the need for ice boxes for
transportation of fishes to the nearest market to enable them to realize better market value. Twenty fishermen participated in the programme.

Konam Village, Sri Vechalapu Palavelli Reservoir, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh:Two FRP coracles were distributed to the fishermen of Konam village. The fishermen catchfish from the Sri Vechalapu PalavelliReservoir. A programme was conducted on 13 March, 2014 todemonstrate the use of coracles. The fishermen actively participated in the programme and hadventured in to the reservoir using the coracles. The fishermen were satisfied with theperformance of the FRP coracles. The fishermen of this reservoir area were not using traps. Thefishermen expressed their desire for more FRP coracles and FRP boats. Forty three fishermenparticipated in the programme

Launching of FRP coracles in RaiwadaReservoirFishermen operating FRP

Resource persons with ST fishers at Resource persons with ST fishers at Konam village,

Jeenabadu Fishing Village Rewada Reservoir                                         Sri VechalapuPalavelli Reservoir