But since the seaweed grows so close to the islands, that's a thin line and not always possible, the women say. The women are allowed to collect seaweed if they don't breach that buffer zone, he says. And any footfall on the island itself could pose a risk to its vegetation, particularly its medicinal plants and wild grass." "There is a buffer area of six to seven meters around each island to protect the coral reefs there. "The islands are very fragile, eco-sensitive zones," he says. Mahendran, a Forest Range officer in the nearby town of Mandapam who is familiar with the women seaweed divers, says there's a reason these restrictions existed. Seaweed extraction in the protected waters of the reserve was declared illegal, with a jail term of three years for violators. In 1986, the government established the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park. Then there are the legislative roadblocks. That means a loss of income, but, says Bakyam, age 40, it's part of an unspoken pact: "We constantly watch out for each other." If there's any kind of accident, the seaweed collectors who travel by boat to their harvest spots must all return so the injured person can be treated. The women also report that they sometimes grow dizzy while diving. Three months ago, a 50-year-old seaweed collector from a nearby village was raped and killed on an isolated beach. The women dive in small groups so they can look out for each other. Other women chime in that they must constantly watch out for poisonous fish and stinging jellyfish. The stonefish that is suspected to have stung Seeniammal is a well-known venomous reef fish with 13 venomous spikes. And injuries are so common when your fingers are exposed." "We've tried gloves before, but they always slip away in the strong currents. "This is how we get ready," says Bhagavathy. The bandages, they've found, are the best way to protect hands from sharp rocks on the seabed when they go underwater to dive for seaweed, which they sell to a local factory. Wearing colorful blouses and saris, they wind thick strips of cloth over each digit and secure the ends with string. An estimated 5,000 women gather seaweed in the shallow reefs around Pamban island, which they sell to local factories.Įarly on a warm February morning, a group of ten women, ranging in age from 50 to 60, sit on the sandy shores of Akkal Madam beach on India's Pamban Island, carefully bandaging their fingers. Seaweed extracts are used in a booming global food industry. ![]() Please review and help us make more great resources for you.Thangamma, about 80 years old, gathers seaweed off Pananthoppu beach, Pamban island, Tamil Nadu, India. Hope this resource adds value to your work. ![]() Cliparts cannot be sold in any editable format. You are not permitted to sell or distribute them as images or on their own. All images are copyrighted and are not to be onsold or given away as clip art. You can link back to my store on your credits page. Pictures are licensed for personal use as well as for commercial use in any educational product (or marketing materials for educational products). You can easily use them in your digital resources or printable educational resources to make them stand out from others.ġ2 Adorable High Quality Cliparts as shown in the cover. These 300 dpi, High Resolution, PNG files with a transparent background can be effortlessly layered with text or other images. This pack of Colorful Fish Cliparts is great for your educational and other resources.
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