(Organization for Marine Conservation, Awareness and Research)
PALK BAY CENTER
Sustainable livelihood
OMCAR provides various sustainable livelihood opportunities for fishermen from marginalised backgrounds by donating animals/plants, providing training, organising medical camps etc for their benefit and upliftment.
OMCAR Foundation supports artisanal fishermen by donating traditional wooden boats to enhance their livelihoods. This initiative also promotes economic stability, sustainable fishing practices, and the preservation of traditional maritime craftmanship.
OMCAR empowers fisherwomen by teaching them to craft palmyra products, creating a sustainable income source and preserving traditional skills. This initiative also promotes eco-friendly alternatives, as palmyra bags are used in reforestation efforts instead of plastic.
To support sustainable fishing practices within the mangrove ecosystem, OMCAR provided fishing pots to artisanal fishers who operate without boats or large nets. These pots are essential tools for these fishers, enabling them to carry supplies and their catch during their daily work in the muddy mangrove canals.
Recognizing the traditional skill of coconut thatch making in Palk Bay communities, OMCAR provided free raw materials to fisherwomen for initial production. This allowed them to build capital through sales. Subsequently, OMCAR facilitated ongoing material procurement by arranging transportation, establishing a sustainable home-based income source.
To support local food security, OMCAR provides families with seeds and vermicompost each pre-monsoon season. Families use these resources to cultivate backyard vegetable gardens, ensuring access to essential nutrients. At the end of the growing season, the families return a portion of the harvested seeds to OMCAR, which are then stored at the field center (PBC) for future distribution.
OMCAR identifies women in mangrove-dependent communities who actively participate in mangrove planting and whose homes are in disrepair. Through a local assessment, these women receive renovated huts, featuring coconut thatching made by local women's groups, and new doors.
OMCAR Foundation has distributed female goats to 491 fisher families across seven coastal villages as a sustainable livelihood initiative linked to marine conservation. The programme supports families with an additional source of income while recognising and encouraging the active participation of fishers in protecting marine wildlife.
Goats were selected because they are relatively easy to maintain, require limited inputs, and can provide families with opportunities to build a small, sustainable livestock-based income source.
The programme follows a community revolving model. The first female offspring born to each distributed goat is returned to OMCAR after six months. Following a veterinary health check, these young goats are then provided to another eligible family. This creates a continuing cycle of livelihood support, enabling the benefits of the programme to reach more families over time.
OMCAR also uses this initiative as a conservation incentive. Fishers who rescue and safely release dugongs, sea turtles and other marine animals back into the sea are recognised through livelihood support, including the provision of goats. This approach encourages fishers to become active conservation partners and strengthens the connection between marine wildlife protection and community well-being.
Through this model, OMCAR aims to demonstrate that conservation and livelihoods can work together, creating positive incentives for communities to protect the marine ecosystems and wildlife they depend upon.
To ensure the success of our goat donation program, we conduct regular health camps. These camps allow us to monitor the goats' well-being and assess how effectively beneficiaries are caring for them.
OMCAR donated fishing nets to artisanal fishers who practice sustainable fishing by walking along the Palk Bay coast. These fishers target shallow water fish in seagrass beds, a method that preserves the ecosystem. A local volunteer team identified and selected these beneficiaries to support their traditional and environmentally friendly fishing practices.
Recognizing the high value of hard-shelled mud crabs in Palk Bay (approximately Rs. 1800/kg) compared to soft-shelled ones (Rs. 400/kg), OMCAR helped fishers establish a fattening unit. This allows them to raise the value of soft-shelled crabs by hardening their shells through a 40-day feeding process, significantly increasing their income.
To help fisher families recover from coconut tree losses during Cyclone Gaja, OMCAR donated saplings, establishing a system where families return at least 30 coconuts to OMCAR for nursery development and further distribution.
OMCAR recognized the plight of elderly, impoverished fish sellers who travel long distances by bicycle to sell their catch. These individuals, often overlooked and lacking access to government support, face significant hardship. To address their needs, OMCAR hosted a lunch and meeting to understand their challenges. Subsequently, OMCAR provided them with new bicycles, fish boxes, and flashlights, empowering these vulnerable members of the community.
Responding to community needs, OMCAR built sheds that provide fishermen with a place to mend their nets and take breaks.
OMCAR installed RO water purification systems in various schools to ensure students and staff have access to safe drinking water and hygienic storage.
To create a sustainable income source, OMCAR donates chickens to fisher families. These easily managed animals quickly reproduce, and the first chicks are returned to OMCAR for health checks and redistribution.
To diversify income opportunities, OMCAR offers car driving training to young fishermen, enabling them to pursue it as a part-time job or alternative livelihood.