Internship With Kuddle Life Foundation

by Ritam Sudhir

 

What is Kuddle life Foundation?

Kuddle Life Foundation has been started by ordinary BUT environmentally conscious individuals that have spent their lives in Pondicherry, a coastal town in the South of India. I have lived here since I was 8 years old and the ocean a very integrated part of this community. Both, as a tourist destination as well as being the lifeline of the fishermen communities that have lived here forever. Kuddle life is striving to make a positive difference to the marine life in this area and thereby create a positive environmental impact as well as social and economic impact in the life of these fishermen communities. Their pilot project is to design, deploy and monitor Artificial Reefs for the fishing villages in the area.

My internship

The first week was all about understanding the work that Kuddle Life Foundation does; the science behind their work and understanding more about the oceans. The best part of the first week was that I was asked to get an open water scuba diving course so that I am able to get into the ocean and work with the scientists to evaluated the artificial reefs. Once the 4 days of SDI Open Water certification course was complete, I spent more time with the team of scientist; Dr Sakthivel, Dr Afreen and Dr Arul, the three scientists working with Kuddle Life Foundation. Dr Afreen explained to me what corals are and the important role they play in the marine ecosystem:

The Role of Corals in the Marine Ecosystem

Corals play a crucial role in the marine ecosystem as they form the backbone of coral reefs, which are biodiversity hotspots. They provide habitat and shelter for about 25% of all marine species, including fish, crustaceans, and molluscs, promoting ecological balance and biodiversity in the oceans.

Corals also contribute to coastal protection by acting as natural barriers, reducing the impact of waves, storms, and erosion. Additionally, they support fisheries and tourism, which are vital for the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide. Coral reefs also play a role in carbon cycling, sequestering carbon and maintaining oceanic pH levels.

However, corals are highly sensitive to environmental changes, making them critical indicators of marine health. Protecting them is essential for sustaining marine life and human communities that are dependent on the oceans for their livelihoods.

She also showed me the types of corals that are present on the artificial reef placed by Kuddle Life Foundation. I also learnt how to identify some types of corals.

Dr Arul taught me about the fishermen, the dynamics of the fishing communities in Pondicherry and the fishing laws and regulations set by the government. We discussed how the fish markets work, how and when the fishermen go out to fish and the science behind it.

The Science Behind When to go Fishing

The science behind the best times for fishing revolves around fish behaviour, which is influenced by environmental and celestial factors:
1. Tides and Moon Phases: Changing tides and phases (new/full moons) increase water movement, which attracts fish.
2. Time of Day: Dawn and dusk are ideal as fish are more active during these low-light periods.
3. Weather: Overcast skies and falling barometric pressure (before storms) often boost fish activity.
4. Water Temperature: Fish activity depends on temperature; warmer waters speed metabolism, while cold-loving species thrive in cooler conditions.
5. Seasonality: The time period between the months of April and September is generally the best season for fishing on the east coast of India due to heightened feeding and.

Understanding these patterns, along with tools like tide charts, can maximise the catch you get.

To get more filed knowledge, I went to Serenity beach, along with Dr Arul and Dr Sakthivel to interview the fishermen of Chinamudaliyar Chavda regarding the reef and how it has impacted them:

Interviews With Fishermen from Chinamudaliyar Chavda (29/10/2024)

Q: Has your catch improved since the time the artificial reef by Kuddle Life Foundation has been deployed in your area?

Ans: Yes, our catch has improved. The quantity and variety of fish has increased quite a bit since the reef was deployed.

 

Q: What is your average daily income from a catch near the reef?

Ans: It’s hard to say. Our catch depends on a lot of factors: the current, the weather, the type of fish we catch. It can vary from 4,000 Rs to 30,000 Rs. But our daily income has increased since the deployment of the reef.

 

Q: Anything else that you would like to say with regard to the reef?

Ans: The reef has really benefited all of us fishmen and our income is also improving due to the increase in fish populations and varieties. We hope that Kuddle Life continues doing this work and we will always be glad to help, like we did when they deployed this reef.

 

I also asked them a few questions about how their day goes:

 

Q: At what time do you get up in the morning to go fishing? What all do you have to do before you can take the boat out into the water?

Ans: All of us fishermen get up around 4am. We freshen up a bit and then go to our boats and make sure everything is ready. We go into the water at 5am. and we fish for about 2-3 hours and return around 8 am. We prepare the boat and the nets the day before so that we don’t have to do anything in the morning. We just check the engine and fill fuel in the morning.

 

Q: How do you sell the fish?

Ans: If we get a good catch of a single variety, we go and sell it to the exporters because they give us the money immediately. Otherwise, if we get a catch of multiple varieties, we sell it on the beach itself, but we have to wait for long hours for it to get sold.

 

Q: Do you have any other concerns you would like to share with us?

Ans: We are having to go further into the oceans to catch fish, day by day. Due to the pollution caused by untreated sewage flowing into the oceans, the fish close to the shore are dying. This is causing the fish to go deeper into the oceans. Going further away from the coast is not safe for us. The weather can change very quickly there, but we have no option. The deployment of the artificial reef by Kuddle Life Foundation has been very helpful, as now slowly fish are getting attracted by the reef and coming back.

 

We also went around the fish market set up by the fishermen on the beach and we identified the fish varieties caught by the fishermen near the Kuddle Life reef.

 

 

Type (Fish)	Type (Other Marine Life)
Yellow trevally	Giant Spider Crab
Red snapper	Squid
Pearly razorfish	Sting Ray
Albacore tuna
Pickhandle barracuda
Red mullet
Anchovies
Grey triggerfish
Lizardfish

 

The next day, Dr Shaktivel explained the science behind artificial reefs and their importance. We went through a few presentations he has created over the years, to teach and explain to people about artificial reefs. We also went through some videos he had of the deployment of the reefs from the various projects Kuddle Life has done over the years. He explained about the shapes of different types of reef modules and how different shapes are meant for helping different types of marine life.

The Different Reef Module Shapes (clockwise starting from top left)

1. Triangular connected by planes: these modules are meant for creatures the live on the ocean floor like lobsters.
2. Cylindrical: these modules are meant for reef fish like the clownfish and triggerfish
3. Triangular connected with cylinders: these modules are meant for large fish like the grouper

 

 

The Science behind Artificial Reefs

Artificial reefs (ARs) are human-made structures designed to mimic natural marine environments, providing habitats for marine organisms and supporting biodiversity. They function by offering surfaces for corals, algae, and invertebrates to attach, creating ecosystems that attract fish and other marine life. The success of these reefs depends on factors like material composition, location, and design. Over time, they can contribute to habitat restoration, particularly in degraded areas, but their ecological impact varies based on local conditions and long-term management.

The Importance of Artificial Reefs

Artificial reefs are essential for improving marine ecosystems and supporting biodiversity. By providing habitat, shelter, and breeding grounds, they attract a wide range of marine life, especially in areas where natural reefs are damaged or absent. Artificial reefs also boost local economies by improving fish stocks and creating opportunities for ecotourism, such as diving and snorkelling.

Beyond ecological benefits, artificial reefs contribute to coastal protection by reducing wave energy and preventing erosion.

On the 7th of November, around a week into my internship with Kuddle Life, I went with the dive team and the scientists to conduct a sample analysis at the artificial reef at Chinnamudaliyar Chavda. We went out into the sea on a fisherman’s boat, along with all the testing and diving equipment. We collected water, sand and plankton samples from two sites. One sample was collected from the reef and one was collected 200 metres away from the reef, to see the impact the reef has had.

 

We took the samples to the lab at the Annamalai University in Cuddalore. On the first day at the university, we tested the pH levels, the levels of dissolved oxygen and the salinity levels of the water samples. There are two ways of testing for the dissolved oxygen and the pH in a water sample: one is by using a testing machine, which can test many other parameters as well. The other is by preparing chemicals and performing the tests. We did both the methods so that I could learn them, and we then noted our readings.

Testing for Dissolved Oxygen using Winkler’s Test

To test for dissolved oxygen in seawater using manganous sulphate, the Winkler method is commonly employed. A sample is treated with manganous sulphate and an alkaline iodide solution, forming a precipitate of manganese hydroxide. In the presence of oxygen, this precipitate oxidizes to manganese oxyhydroxide. After adding acid, iodine is released in proportion to the dissolved oxygen in the sample. The iodine is then titrated with sodium thiosulfate to determine the oxygen concentration.

The next day, we visited Annamalai University again and continued our testing. We also examined the plankton samples under a 40X microscope and identified the different species.

Here is a list of some of the plankton species we identified:

• Ketoserus coarctatus
• Detilum brightvely
• Plumeria hardmeniana
• Coscinodiscus vailese
• Odontella psoriasis
• Bacteriastrum hyalinum
• Ketoserus afanus
• Rhizosolenia styliformus
• Rhizosolenia species
• Ceratium macroceros

 

Here is a detailed report of the sample analysis that was conducted:

Discussion on post survey at CMC.docx

Conclusion

On the whole, I had a wonderful experience during the course of my internship and I was able to learn a lot about our oceans. I learnt about the contribution of healthy marine life in the local economy. I plan to share the details of this intervention with the state and national fisheries departments and request that the government scale up this intervention in other coastal areas. What is very heartening is that the team at Kuddle life is planning to use my internship experience as model to engage with other High school children so that more awareness can be generated about marine life and other fishing communities.

I thank Dr Sakthivel, Dr Afreen, Dr Arul and Mr. Punit Dhandhania for the experience. My internship provided opportunities for me to develop practical skills and gain real-world experience in the field of artificial reefs and marine sciences.