Kochi, July 17 (IANS) Kerala’s famed beaches and backwaters are poised to offer visitors more than breathtaking scenery. Tourists will soon have the opportunity to discover the state’s rich marine biodiversity, fragile coastal ecosystems and traditional fishing heritage, as the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) trains tourist guides to become ambassadors of marine conservation.
The first of its kind initiative in Kerala seeks to harness tourism as a powerful force for environmental awareness and sustainable travel.
CMFRI Director, Dr. Grinson George, said the initiative represents an innovative community engagement model that brings science and tourism together for a common cause.
“Tourist guides interact with thousands of visitors every year and are ideally placed to communicate the importance of conserving our marine ecosystems and promoting sustainable fisheries.
By empowering them with scientific knowledge, we are extending the reach of marine conservation messages far beyond conventional awareness programmes,” he said.
Twenty four government certified tourist guides have successfully completed an intensive training programme designed to equip them with scientific knowledge on Kerala’s coastal ecosystems and marine wealth.
The initiative, an extension of CMFRI’s popular Fish Walk outreach programme launched last year, aims to transform tourist guides into effective communicators of conservation, enabling them to share scientific insights with the thousands of domestic and international visitors they interact with every year.
The programme reflects a growing recognition that tourism can play a vital role in protecting natural ecosystems when visitors are encouraged to understand and appreciate the environments they explore.
The participants received course completion certificates from Kochi Mayor V.K. Minimol at a function organised to mark the 98th Foundation Day of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
The training covered Kerala’s diverse coastal and marine ecosystems, including beaches, estuaries, mangroves, backwaters, rocky reefs, the open sea and deep-sea habitats.
Participants were also introduced to the state’s rich marine biodiversity, traditional and modern fisheries, mariculture practices and the contribution of the marine sector to Kerala’s economy, enabling them to answer visitors’ questions with scientific accuracy.
To complement classroom sessions, the guides undertook field visits to Chellanam Fishing Harbour, Puthethodu Beach, Kottapuram fish cage farms and the Panambukad mangroves, gaining firsthand experience of coastal ecosystems, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture practices.
By placing scientific knowledge in the hands of those who introduce Kerala to the world, CMFRI hopes every guided tour along the state’s coast will become an opportunity not only to showcase its natural beauty, but also to inspire its protection.
–IANS
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