Kochi, Oct 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) Small-scale fishers in Kerala have called for better protection against extreme weather and stronger social security.
They want compensation for income lost when rough seas and bad weather prevent fishing, they said at a community consultation held at the ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) here.
The meeting was part of a nationwide exercise to prepare India’s National Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries (NPOA-SSF).
More than 50 representatives of fishing communities, women fish workers, fish vendors, fisher organisations and researchers took part in the consultation.
The participants said climate risks and severe weather events threatened fishing livelihoods. They called for disaster preparedness and climate adaptation measures to be included in the action plan.
They also sought compensation for fishing days lost due to extreme weather.
The meeting proposed comprehensive mesh-size regulations to promote sustainable fishing.
Participants also called for protecting traditional fishing rights and giving local communities a greater role in managing marine resources.
Women fish workers raised concerns over their role in fish processing, marketing, and other post-harvest activities, demanding formal recognition of women as fish workers and greater representation in fisheries policy and decision-making.
CIFT Director Dr George Ninan inaugurated the meeting, organised in association with the Federation of Indian Fisher Organisations (FIFO).
The Centre has begun a nationwide consultation with fishing communities to frame the plan. The Union Fisheries Department is leading the consultation process across coastal states and Union Territories, and the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO) is facilitating and coordinating it.
The National Task Force is expected to incorporate the findings into a draft plan in early November. The draft is scheduled to be released for public consultation on November 21, and will undergo further review before finalisation and notification.
"The inputs will be submitted before the National Taskforce for developing India’s National Plan of Action on Small-Scale Fisheries,” said Dr Nikita Gopal, head of CIFT’s Extension, Information and Statistics Division, who led the consultation.
Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO) Director Dr P. Krishnan said the proposed plan would address issues such as access to fisheries resources, sustainable fishing, decent work, gender equality, climate change, and disaster risks.
Source: IANS
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