From awareness to conservation

CHENNAI: While the methodology and the technology involved in fishing has improved by leaps and bounds over the years, how much such development has affected the sustainability of the occupation is a question that needs to be looked into, said Vadivel Krishnamurthy, Deputy High Commissioner of Sri Lanka for South India. Inaugurating an art exhibition that focused on the everyday life of the fishing community, at the Cholamandal Artists' Village here on Sunday, he said that a balance had to be achieved between our needs and the availability of resources. Indiscriminate exploitation of marine resources was a serious issue that had to be tackled. Krishnamurthy said that artists had the responsibility, and the unique talent, to reflect upon issues and take them to the public through their work. Awareness on sustainability too was one issue that could be achieved by works of art, he said.YS Yadav, Director of Bay of Bengal Programme, an inter-governmental organisation which had put up the exhibition, said that the organisation was now involved in projects such as those on safety at sea, and the safety and hygiene of sea food. It was also trying its best to bring about collaboration among its member countries in the fisheries industry, he added.Terming the job of a fisherman as dangerous, Yadav said that data from countries maintaining statistics on fishermen's deaths showed that at least 24,000 fishermen die at sea every year. He said that the idea behind conducting such events was to inculcate the spirit of conservation.The exhibition, which will be open till October 23, has paintings put up by artists such as Alphonso Arul Doss and S Jayaraj, apart from sculptures by V Ravindran. A painting workshop for college students was also held as part of the event.