Abstract
Coir retting yards are concentrated along the southern coastal line and specially women folk, find this work as the source of their principal income for the family in off seasons of fishing. The study was conducted in the Dickwella secretariat division to study the impact of coir retting on the socio-economic and health status of fisher women involved in coir retting. Random sample of 35 coir retting women involved in coir retting was selected. The necessary data of the location and families were collected by using questionnaires, interviews and discussions. Data obtained were statistically analyzed by using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software. Water quality parameters, such as pH, temperature, BOD, COD, NO 3 - -N and conductivity were analyzed. All the water quality parameters were not in permissible ranges. The average household size and daily net income of the coir retting families involved were 4.5 and Rs. 612.50, respectively. Eighty nine percent has obtained primary education while 9 % and 2 % have gained secondary and tertiary education respectively. It is obvious that these people do not have any access to other employment opportunities except coir retting due to lack of education. The results revealed that the coir retting industry of this area is an activity that is intricately interwoven with the social and economic structure. Field survey results indicated that 57 % of the sample suffered from job-oriented disease like skin disease, blindness, headache, back bone pains and respiratory disease. Rotted husk release more organic pollutants and they highly affect the water quality parameters. Therefore, it is a difficult task to save these women from these occupational hazards unless some new affordable technique is introduced. Majority of the households (70 %) fall within a low socio-economic status with a deepening poverty background depicted by low educational achievement and occupational status. Tropical Agricultural Research Vol. 23 (1): 84-90 (2011) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/tar.v23i1.4635
Highlights
The fisheries sector plays a significant role in the national economy of Sri Lanka by generating export earnings and providing employment as well as a cheap protein source for the nation
Its contribution to Gross Domestic Production (GDP) though marginal (1 %), the sector is directly combined with the lives of approximately 50 % of the population of the country that live in the coastal areas
The DO varied from 3.8 - 5.8 mg/l with significantly lower (p
Summary
The fisheries sector plays a significant role in the national economy of Sri Lanka by generating export earnings and providing employment as well as a cheap protein source for the nation. The fish production and the number of active fishermen in Sri Lanka have increased considerably in 2008 when compared to previous years. Fish yield per fishermen remained the same as in the previous year. This is an important problem, because the increase in fish production does not necessarily increase the income of fishermen. More effort should be taken to identify less income groups of fishermen and promote alternative fishing and non-fishing activities to increase their household income (Anon, 2009)
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