Chennai plastic waste damaged at least 10 fishing nets belonging to fishermen from Nochikuppam on Thursday morning, causing losses estimated at around Rs 10 lakh as large bottles, sheets and wrappers became entangled in the gear at sea.
The fishermen had put out to sea early in the morning when they found the waste caught in their nets. Each net is estimated to be worth around Rs 1 lakh. Fisher-leader Ethiraj said some nets would need stitching while others might have to be replaced.
“Several large plastic bottles, sheets and wrappers were found tangled with the nets. We haven’t measured the weight of the waste yet, but all our nets have been damaged,” Ethiraj said.
The Fisheries Department said such incidents were commonly reported during the monsoon. Joint Director of Fisheries Department A Elango said the primary responsibility for controlling plastic waste beyond 12 nautical miles from the shore rested with local bodies.
The incident has also raised concerns about how waste moves through Chennai’s drainage and river systems before entering the sea. Fishermen from Triplicane, Ennore and Santhome said plastic discarded near rivers and waste trapped in drains was carried into the sea during periods of heavy rain.
“During rain, when the flow of water is high, plastic discards dumped along rivers and stuck in drains enter the sea. We have flagged the issue to the local bodies as well as to the fisheries department multiple times, but the problem recurs every monsoon,” said R L Srinivasan, a fishermen-leader from Ennore.
Srinivasan said similar cases of plastic waste becoming entangled in fishing nets had been reported in Ennore and Tiruvottiyur during the previous week. The accounts point to a recurring connection between monsoon runoff, drain maintenance, river pollution and losses faced by coastal fishing communities.
For fishermen, the immediate impact is not limited to removing waste from the nets. Damaged gear can interrupt fishing activity and create additional costs for repairs or replacement. The fishermen said the weight of the waste recovered from the nets had not yet been measured.
A Fisheries Department official said the Nochikuppam fishermen could approach the department’s south zone office if they required assistance or compensation. The official said the damage would be assessed before any further decision was taken.
The episode also places responsibility across multiple agencies. While the Fisheries Department has offered to assess the damage, the department has said local bodies are responsible for controlling plastic waste beyond the shore limit identified by the joint director. The fishermen, meanwhile, have linked the recurring problem to waste entering waterways and storm-water drains during rain. The damage assessment by the south zone office is the next stated step.
