Bengal: Fisherfolk of East Medinipur Coast Threaten Stir, Write to Centre

Kolkata: Fisherfolk of West Bengal have threatened to go on an indefinite stir demanding restrictions on fishing by big trawlers in the East Medinipur sea coast even in months when fishing is supposed to be banned to facilitate hatching.

The Purba Medinipur Matsajibi Forum, a branch of Dakhin Banga Matshajibi Forum, has also written a letter to Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, flagging the threat to their livelihood. 

“We are writing to you with suggestions regarding the ban period imposed on marine fishing that is due to commence from April 15, further to our earlier letter to you numbered PMMF/A/52/19 dated 18 August 2019.

As a responsible organization of small-scale fishworkers, we have repeatedly reiterated the importance of sustainable fisheries for the health of our coastal and marine ecosystems and for the continued existence of our livelihoods. Our customary ways of life have been greatly harmed by the continued presence of destructive and unregulated mechanized fishing that has been devastating fisheries all along the Indian coastline and particularly off the coast of West Bengal. Great harm has been caused to both the availability of fish and to our traditional livelihoods—wholly dependent on the health and vitality of the fish and marine ecosystems.

Given that the Hon’ble Government of India imposes the ban period on mechanized fishing vessels for conservation and effective management of fishery resources, we would request that this ban period should be extended to a period of 120 days from its current duration of 61 days. This would introduce a most desirable hiatus to the devastation caused by the destructive fishing methods of these mechanized vessels and would be an important means of achieving the goal of saving and protecting marine biodiversity, ensuring the continued survival of small-scale fishworkers’ livelihoods”. 

Speaking with NewsClick, Debasish Shyamal, secretary of the forum of small fishworkers in West Bengal, with membership of over 22,000, said “In the past 20-25 years, nearly 60% of the fish catch has depleted. The main reason for this is fishing by large trawlers and destructive and uncontrolled fishing. The second reason is pollution. The third reason is the coastal development plans of the government, including setting up of Special Economic Zones or SEZs, harbours etc,” he said.

Sanyal said the depletion of fish resources had led to small fishers transforming themselves as construction labourers or migrant workers in other states. Some are working as labour on big mechanised boats.

“To change this scenario, the fisheries management plan should be activated, and there should be a ban period of 180 days for mechanised boats,” he added.

Sanyal said as representatives of small fishers, the forum has written to the Union minister and the fisheries secretary, saying that unless this ban is made effective, marine life and ecology will face a severe threat.

The fisheries industry is a zero-investment industry. In East Medinipur district, there are 2.5 lakh small fishers, whose livelihoods are getting impacted.

In the context of West Bengal, the ban period is ordered by the Central government and matching order is passed by the state government. Sanyal said that other state governments enforce the ban while keeping manual boats outside its purview. But, in West Benga,l every sort of fishing boat, including manual boats, have been brought under the ban, which is unjustified, he added.

He said the forum would also submit a memorandum to Roshni Sen, secretary, state department of fisheries, after a protest to be held by the small fishers in East Medinipur district.

Speaking with NewsClick, Debasish Barman, president of All India Fisherman and Fish Workers Federation (AIFFWF), said “AIFFWF has always opposed allowing big trawlers and fishing boats inside the Indian maritime border.  The Central government has never paid heed to our demand. The Meena Kumari report (for review of deep-sea fishing policy) was the last nail in our coffin.”

The ‘blue revolution’ was meant to open the Indian coastal waters to foreign capital and big Indian corporate houses, he said, adding that “AIFFWF is fighting relentlessly against this and an all-India campaign is going on. Our demand to Central government is for extending the time frame to catch fish in the seas, forests and bays.”

Barman said the demand for kerosene at subsidised rate to small fishers, which were earlier a tradition, has been discontinued. “This should be restarted for the small fishers of manual boats. Apart from this, the sea mining project by the Central government needs to be reviewed, as it is against maritime biodiversity,” he added.

According to AIFFWF, this project, of excavating sea sands, will have a negative fallout. “Our fight is relentlessly going on against the blue revolution project, the Sagarmala project, the Junput missile project, the Tajpur project in West Bengal,” said Barman.

He said in West Bengal, the 158 km coastal line was been infringed upon by new projects, such as missile projects.

“Even in the Sundarban coastal area, biodiversity loss is happening due to these projects,” he said, adding that AIFFWF would submit memos to ministers of fisheries of all states and even to Governors in May.