Tamil Nadu - Cuddalore   

Red bait fish smelt disaster two months ago?

By Our Special Correspondent

CUDDALORE, JAN. 6. Two months before the tsunami struck, an unusual movement of "red bait" fish (dipterygonatus leucogrammicus), locally known as "aranaival" was noticed on the east coast.

Previous studies have established that whenever this species is found in abundance, a natural calamity is sure to follow, according to L. Chidambaram, Senior Technical Assistant, Centre for Marine Fisheries Research (Cuddalore Field Centre).

Mr Chidambaram, who has been involved in a study of fish landings from Marakkanam to Cuddalore, a coastal stretch of 70 km, told The Hindu that the occurrence of red bait was noticed at periodical intervals— ie., in 1977, 1979, 1987 and 1996, and recently during August— September 2004 in the east coast.

Soon after sighting the red bait, Mr Chidambaram had dashed off a letter to the CMFRI Director, Mohan Joseph Modayil, on October 30, 2004 stating that in 1977 he noticed bag net catches of red bait at sea depths ranging from 20 to 22 metres, and predicted that tsunami-like severe and high intensity cyclone would strike the Bay of Bengal area. True to the warning, it battered the coasts of Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry and Tamil Nadu.

In the communication, he further noted that from the recent occurrence of red bait, a harbinger of catastrophe, he anticipated similar scenario (as in 1977) during November— December 2004.

On receipt of the letter, the Director, the Scientist Incharge (CMFRI, Chennai), H. Mohammad Kasim, as well as the principal scientist, CMFRI, Kochi, M. Srinath, had advised him to adequately warn the fishermen along the coast.

Accordingly, Mr Chidambaram alerted the fisherfolk at Anichankuppam and Mudaliarkuppam in Pondicherry about the possible sea swelling. As he had to move along the coast, he could cover only a few coastal villages.

Mr Chidambaram said if the migratory habit of red bait were closely monitored, phenomenon such as tsunami could be tracked. He said already the "tagging" was being done to study the movement of prawns and conch (sanghu) from one place to another, and therefore, it could also be possible to track the red bait.

He said red baits were found along with the miscellaneous catch in trawl nets along the Cuddalore coast a couple of months ago. The species, four inches long, did not have any commercial value, and could be used only as poultry feed.

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