I look back with a sense of pride, as an Indian, over our achievements, but am shuddered at the stock of issues our brethren fishermen face. Yet, I am sure that the government that fulfilled its promise by setting up a separate ministry for the fisheries at the Centre will take timely measures.
With deep reverence, we should offer an exalted salute for the hard work and the valuable contribution of the fisherfolk. Spending days and nights in the deep sea for over 30 days at a stretch, they earn a huge amount of foreign currency, a sizeable percentage of India’s income. Yet, no one thinks about their pitiable conditions. In the last 25 years, there is more talk about fishermen issues than ever.
Nowadays, the problems faced by the TN fishers who harbour their vessels in other states are more than what they encountered earlier. Due to the unavoidable incidents such as engine’s technical snag, tidal waves, fear of sea pirates, purchase of diesel and other amenities, our fishers are forced to go to the harbour in other states.
But, the officials and local fishermen create problems, and our fishermen are fined for reaching their shore. The authorities also arrest these fishers for fishing within their waters. India’s long coastline of 7,517 km is divided among these anglers. The fishers should be allowed to fish in any part of India and harbour their boats for any urgent needs.
International Fishermen Development Trust (INFIDET) sent several memorandum to the Centre to frame and implement a National Integrated Fisheries Policy. I, as founder president of the trust, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi after Cyclone Ockhi that hit Kanyakumari, and submitted a memorandum in this regard.
If it is implemented, it will pave way for smooth fishing operations throughout the country, which in turn, will help in huge economic development. Lakhs of fishermen who involve in deep sea fishing help the nation’s economic development, bringing crores of foreign currency to the nation. I, therefore, requested the government to heed to the cry of the fishers and frame and implement a National Integrated Fisheries Policy.
The lives of the fishers are uncertain as ships may collide with the mechanised fishing boats in the deep sea. The ships continue their voyage, unmindful of what happened to the fishermen and their boat. No matter how hard the relatives of the affected fishermen and social service organisations try to find these ships, they have to wait for years until they find the ships. It is the plea of conscience that there should be no delay in finding the ships that cause the damage.
With the help of Marine Rescue Co-ordination Center (MRCC), located in Mumbai and Long Range Identification Tracking and Long Range Radar, the ship that involved in the hit-and-run could be easily found out. Above all, the governments should act on a war footing to locate the ships. It took several years for the Kanniyakumari fishermen to get suitable compensation from Enrica Lexie, an Italian Oil Tanker involved in an international controversy in 2012 when two Kanniyakumari fishermen were shot at and killed.
INFIDET also suggests that there should be Demarcated Sea Routes for the ships crossing the Indian waters, for the smooth functioning of the ships as well as for the fishing operations in the high seas; and to avoid the ships hitting the fishing boats, an overall monitoring of the the vessels crossing the Indian waters is essential.
INFIDET also demanded to announce the cyclone in the deep sea as national disaster, due to the damages it had done.
A special modus operandi needs to be framed including patrolling at the Indian and International waters for Prevention of sea pirates, who have become a growing threat, as they have shot at shipping officers and fishermen, kidnapped them and properties stolen.
ACT FAST
The governments should act on a war footing to locate the ships involved in mid-sea accidents. It took several years for Kanniyakumari fishers to get compensation from Enrica Lexie
[Footnote is a weekly column that discusses issues relating to TN]
(The author is founder president of International Fishermen Development Trust - INFIDET)