Fishers rest their hopes on Chakara

ALAPPUZHA: The phenomenon of chakara (mudbank) during the monsoon when shoals of fish appear on the Kerala coastline has been on the decline in  recent years due to a variety of reasons. Now, chakara appears mainly at Chally beach near Punnapra where traditional fishermen have made a catch of big-sized prawns the other day. Chakara comes as a boon to the fishermen during the trawling ban period. The studies carried out by the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) have attributed the decline of chakara to climate change.

V.C. Madhu, a local leader of Matsya Thozhilali Union (AITUC), Purakad, is worried over the absence of chakara this year. “The prices of fish may go up,” he said. Chakara is the residue of fluid mud driven by the monsoon. The mudbank is formed with the higher quantity of nitrate and phosphate which enhance the primary production of phytoplankton and zooplankton in the seawater. The presence of phytoplankton and zooplankton attracts plankton feeding small fishes. Subsequently, the large fishes that feed on the smaller fishes will flock to the area in search of food.

Mr V. Dinakaran, general secretary, Akhila Kerala Dheevara Sabha, blamed  climate change and unscientific infrastructure development for the decline of chakara. Many canals and lagoons enriched with oxygen content during the southwest monsoon are blocked by the unchecked constructions, he said and added that the lack of chakara would be a loss to the entire Malayali community. Meanwhile, with the trawling ban coming into force, the prices of fish have gone up in the local market.