Port at Keni a threat to biodiversity, livelihoods: Experts

Keni has rocky shores, sea has two openings with streams and a rivulet, fate of 15,000 fishermen families at stake

- SUBHASH CHANDRA N S @Keni (Uttara Kannada)

EXPERTS in marine ecology and local fishermen fear that the construction of a commercial harbour at Keni will be detrimental to the rich biodiversity as the region not only hosts rich diversity of marine life, but is also a breeding place for fish, catering to commercial and dependent livelihoods.

With the shore along the Keni being shallow, it is not feasible for harbouring large container ships which is normally done at commercial ports.

While the fishermen of Tonka at Honnavar in Uttara Kannada district are protesting to save their houses and endangered sea turtle nesting grounds, the people in Keni are fighting to save marine life, rich biodiversity and traditional fishing.

Each day starts early for Chandrakanth Harikantra, along with one of his friends, as they take a boat ride and spread the net while their three friends wait on the shore. The net is large and once Harikantra returns, the fishermen pull it to the shore — a unique way of fishing called as Gillnet or Elebale in Kannada where the net covers even the fish from the sea bed — a system practised where fish is abundantly available.