Fishermen seek action to safeguard coastline

Fishing communities from 11 states across the country had participated in this rally, seeking action against ocean grabbing and encroachment of the coastal areas, which are vital for the livelihoods. M Ilango, Chairperson, National Fishworkers’ Forum (NFF), which organised the rally flagged off by former Minister of Defence A K Antony, said foreign vessels should not be given permits for deepsea fishing. “Now, the corporate vessels from foreign companies are indulging in deep-sea fishing, which is affecting the traditional fishermen. So, the government should ensure that permits for this should be given only to traditional fisher communities.

In addition, there should also be a step taken towards prevention of pollution into the sea by thermal/atomic plants, which hurt the fishing community. Coastal areas should be for the fishermen, who rely on it for a livelihood. What is happening is that for real estate or development projects, fishermen are compensated but this money isn’t enough to provide a livelihood. They end up becoming refugees in their own country. The government should consider the fishermen’s livelihoods before planning development projects like Colachel (Enayam) port in Kanyakumari, which destroy the livelihoods of many fisher communities,” said Ilango. 

Fisher folk at North Chennai are unhappy with the lack of consideration to their plight by the government. Srinivasan Rajesh, a fisherman from Kattukuppam, said that the second harbour in Ennore has resulted in many fishermen losing their lands, homes and livelihoods. If the government wants development, we are all for it – but development must be for both the parties. Here, only the fishermen are being affected – due to the harbour or the thermal plants, which pollute the water bodies, causing a decrease in our quality and quantity of catch. Policies for our community are framed without consulting us. 

For this reason, fisher communities from North Chennai will soon form an association, to voice our demands to the government,” said the president of Kattukuppam Fishermen’s Cooperative Society. Pooja Kumar, researcher at the Coastal Resource Centre, said the land allotted to fishing villages have reduced drastically over the past two decades. “It is important to see fisheries not just as being practiced in the ocean but also on the land. Fisher folk need the space to harvest the catch or dry it for later use. Spaces available for livelihood of small scale artisanal fishermen have reduced. It is vital to ensure the integrity of the coast and provide respectable living conditions for the community, while giving importance to their craft,” she said. Ilango added the other problem facing fishermen in Tamil Nadu is the seizing of men and vessels, while at sea. “In Ramananthapuram, Pudukottai,  Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Karaikal and Nagapattinam, fishermen are suffering because many vessels have been seized by the Sri Lankan Navy. This has to stop,” he concluded.