National Fishworkers’ Forum (NFF) organised an EC meeting at Red Cross Bhawan, Bhubaneswar, Odisha which was hosted by its affiliated union Orissa Traditional Fish Workers’ Union (OTFWU). Olencio Simoes General Secretary NFF stated that the meeting was addressed by the Chairman, Shri Prasanna Kumar Behera, President, OTFWU, and he elaborated on the deteriorating condition of traditional fishers in Odisha due to government-imposed fishing bans for 7 months for turtle conservation in 4 districts, and He demanded ₹30,000 compensation per family during the ban periods. He demanded the immediate clearing of river mouths and Chilika Lake to enable 24-hour marine navigation, as well as the creation of Fish Landing Centres (FLCs) and harbours in each marine block/GP to support fishers’ livelihoods.
Simoes stated that NFF concluded the two day EC meeting by passing several resolutions that affect the fishers of India, after due deliberation with 6 coastal states. One of the common issues that are affecting and displacing the fishers was port-related expansion plans and the construction of a new port in Karnataka, Goa, Kerela, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Gujarat.
NFF will demand that the central government freeze subsidies to aquaculture and increase marine subsidies, as they are already impacting the environment, especially coastal biodiversity, destroying the ecosystem, and native species.
NFF also resolved that the government needs to bring stronger legislation to ban destructive gears like LED lights, Bull trawling, Pursie, etc., and to freeze issuing new licenses for deep-sea fishing under the PMMSY, as these boats are overfishing and destroying marine resources.
NFF also resolved that the government should make urgent diplomacy to bring back Indian fishers who are in captivity in Pakistan and Srilankan Jail.
NFF also demanded that India’s traditional fishers must be recognised under a Coastal Rights Act, similar to the Forest Rights Act, which acknowledges the rights of Adivasi communities over forests.
Olencio Simoes
General Secretary
Ramkrisha Tandel
Chairperson