By Kavita Mistry 
On the Kollam coast in Kerala, India, fishers have transformed from passive contributors to marine pollution into active ocean protectors. For years, plastic caught in fishing nets was discarded back into the sea, harming ecosystems and marine life. That changed with the launch of the Suchitwa Sagaram (Clean Sea) initiative in 2017 by the Kerala government’s harbour engineering department (HED). Fishing boats were equipped with nylon bags to collect plastic waste enmeshed in their nets.
Once onshore, the waste—ranging from bottles and shoes to ropes and polythene bags—is washed, sorted, shredded, and then sold to road builders who use it in asphalt for constructing roads.
Kerala Fishers Turn Ocean Plastic into Roads, Driving Eco-Conservation and Employment
Nearly 3,000 fishers and boat owners in Kollam are part of this effort, which has now spread to other harbours across Kerala’s 600 km coastline. The program not only benefits the environment but also provides employment to local women who handle the sorting and processing. The shredded plastic is used to build roads more resilient to India’s heat, with each kilometre of road using the equivalent of one million plastic bags and reducing asphalt use by one tonne—cutting road-building costs by 8–10%.
So far, over 80,000 kg of plastic waste has been recovered, with more than half recycled into 135 km (84 miles) of plastic-paved roads. The initiative has changed the mindset of local fishers, who now actively discourage littering and promote marine conservation. Awareness stickers on boats and a cultural shift in plastic use have taken hold.
Despite Setbacks, Kerala’s Ocean Cleanup Effort Pushes Forward with Community Resolve
However, the project faced setbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic and due to rising fuel costs and subsidy cuts, making deep-sea fishing more expensive. Despite challenges, community leaders like Peter Mathias stress the initiative’s importance for sustainable livelihoods and environmental protection. “Our future depends on it,” he says, noting the growing involvement of younger generations.
Summary:
In Kerala’s Kollam coast, fishers collect ocean plastic through the “Clean Sea” initiative, recycling it into road-building material. The effort, involving 3,000 fishers and local women, has recovered 80,000 kg of waste. Despite pandemic and fuel cost setbacks, the community remains committed to marine conservation and sustainable livelihoods.