MANGALORE: About 30 scientists and researchers from all over the country will attend a four-day training workshop titled "Action-research for coastal and marine conservation strategies and enterprise development for sustainable livelihood in Karnataka" starting here on Thursday. The workshop has been jointly organised by the Department of Fisheries, the Fisheries Economics Department of the Fisheries College and Dakshina Kannada Parisarasktara Okkoota in collaboration with the Ford Foundation through the Covenant Centre for Development based in Madurai.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Ramachandra Bhatta, Professor and Head of the Department of Fisheries Economics, said the participants have been drawn from eight maritime States, including Lakshadweep. The workshop has been necessitated by the fact that there is a definite decrease in the number of fish in the sea, he added. Research shows that this is owing to the destruction of mangroves all along the western coast, where the fish spawn, he said.

Studies will be taken up by the resource groups on three sites, including the Gangavali-Aghanashini estuaries in Uttara Kannada district, Nadipatna in Padubidri taluk and Mangalore, he said. Okkoota coordinator Upendra Hosbet said these are site-specific and community intensive studies. The restoration of mangroves is the main intention of the studies, he added.

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