Gujarat fishermen observe bandh to protest use of large fishing vessels

“Around 50 per cent of boats of Porbandar are not going on fishing trips as the availability of fish in the sea is less. If large vessels are allowed to do fishing, they will catch majority of schools of fish and traditional fishermen will be out of business,” said Manish Lodhari, secretary of Gujarat chapter of National Fish Workers Forum.

The nationwide bandh call was given by Federation of Indian Fishery Industry (FIFI), an organisation of various stakeholders of fishing industry in the country.

Velji Masani, vice president of All Gujarat Fishermen Federation (AGFF) said that during its last months in power, the UPA government had taken a decision to allow Indian fishermen to buy large fishing vessels from abroad and do fishing in Indian waters.

“FIFI leaders have told us that the NDA government is in the process of implementing the decision taken by the UPA government. But we fear, industrialists and those with money would buy such vessels and catch all the fish from our waters. This will ruin livelihood of lakhs of traditional fishermen,” said Masani.

Masani further said a traditional fishing trawler would be around 20 metres long and powered by 88 horse power (HP) engine. But the imported vessels can measure up to 50 metres and powered by 500 HP engines.

“The stated objective of the Central government decision is to explore the Indian water far away from shore which traditional trawlers can’t. The decision will also require traditional trawlers to fish within 12 nautical miles from the coast. But due to pollution, there is no fish near the coast and trawlers are already going as far as 70 nautical miles,” Masani added.

The AGFF vice president said he had a conversation with minister Kundariya and that the latter had assured to look into the matter.

On his part, Kundariya said the government would take necessary steps. “I have come to know about the issue through media reports. The decision was taken by the previous UPA government. But NDA government will do everything possible, including not to implement the decision, to protect interests of fishermen,” Kundariya said while talking to The Indian Express.

Gujarat has 1,600 km shoreline, the longest in the country, and has a rich fishing industry. The industry earns the country foreign exchange through exports of fish. There are more than two lakh active fishermen in the state.

Incidentally, Congress government had allowed Taiwan to do fishing in Indian waters in 1991-92 but had to withdraw that permission later on following protests by Indian fishermen.