To participate or otherwise get involved, click here to contact us.

The location has been fixed for NMCSI-3 on 20 November. It will be held at the Goldfinch Hotel in Mangalore. See the image below for a tentative agenda and click to enlarge.

The start time of the event is at 10 a.m. We expect to wrap up by 3:30 p.m. or so.

The meeting is to be held at the Rotary Community Centre on 30 October from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Nagercoil. Click the image above to read more details.

30 October 2014 at Nagercoil, Kanyakumari from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Venue and details to be communicated soon.

This comes as ADSGAF is reviewing deep see fishing policy options and planning to propose its own alternative policy.

The Committee under estimated the fishing capacity and expertise of the Indian fishermen. The contention of Committee is that Indian fishermen are not trained to work on DSFVs, and recommended for the engagement of foreign crew in onboard DSFVs with an annual salary of US $ 25,000; till the requisite skill is developed in the country. The versionn of the Committee is that India is presently lacking expertise to exploit resources in marine waters, beyond 500 meters. Hence technology transfer through acquisition of foreign fishing vessels and, or, joint ventures/leasing, etc. may be considered for this area till the domestic capacity is fully developed. The Thoothoor fishermen in the lower south-west coast of India are capable of fishing beyond 500 meter depth; as their normal fishing area is beyond 500 meter depth. They spend more than 35 days in the deep sea for fishing.

Another issue to be addressed is the ‘depletion of marine resources and need for sustainable fishing methods’. The sustainable fishing methods have been advocated by many agencies state, central, and international levels. This approach is targeted towards the sustainable livelihood fishermen, the marine resource dependent communities. If the conservation approaches in fishing is for the sake of fishermen, how can one consider the foreign fishing vessels that are detrimental to marine wealth? The foreign vessels can fish any species anywhere in India! The Ministry of Environment and Forests, conservationists are coming with the proposal of ban of sharks, ray fishes, etc. But in India we have 4.41 metric ton marine resources and among the resources what is the percentages of sharks and ray fishes?

In the above context, fishermen are very much distressed. With this backdrop, ADSGAF had a special executive meeting to discuss the two issues on 18 September 2014. Mr. Selvorian, the President of the ADSGAF chaired the meeting. The followings are the major decisions taken at the meeting.

• ADSGAF decided to prepare a Fishing Policy as an alternate to the one proposed by the Committee headed by Dr.Meenakumari titled ‘Review on Comprehensive Deep Sea Fishing Policy’; submitted to the Government of India. The responsibility for preparing the said policy is given to Mr. J.Vincent Jain, Chief Executive, ADSGAF. Time duration given for the completion of the report is 6 months. He has to consult fish workers representative, Scientists, fisheries experts, government officials, etc for the preparation of the report.
• ADSGAF also decided to join with the NFF for the national level protest against the controversial Deep Sea Fishing Policy and also give solidarity in connection with the above
• ADSGAF decided to give leadership to the move against the unscientific and impractical banning of fishing of sharks. ADSGAF decided to attend the National Consultation on Deep Sea Fishing Policy and Conservation of Sharks organized by NFF.
• ADSGAF decided to create awareness to the fishermen by exhibiting pictures of sharks and ray fishes which are put under the appendix II of CITES in the villages of Neerodi, Marthandanthurai. Vallavilai, Eraviputhenthurai, Chinnathurai, Thoothoor, Poothurai and Eraimanthurai with the support of HSI-India.
• ADSGAF decided to organize a special meeting at sea on 20 September 2014 by inviting visual Medias to demonstrate the methods of fishing by using nets, hooks and line etc.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Union Government should not go ahead with the implementation of the Dr Meenakumari Report on fishing sector, the Kerala Swathanthra Matsyathozhilali Federation state committee has demanded.

Inaugurating a workshop on deep sea fishing policy, organised by the Federation in association with National Fishworkers’ Forum and Association of Deep Seagoing Artisanal Fishermen in the city the other day, Labour Minister Shibu Baby John opined that implementing the report will bring the fisheries sector in the state to a major crisis and hence the Centre should not approve the report.

Implementing the report would adversely affect the fisheries sector in the state, he pointed out, adding that it’s time the traditional and small-scale fishing sector in the state are modernised to give a fresh impetus to the fisheries sector here. Fishermen organisations in the field should come up together against Dr Meenakumari report.

The state government would take all possible steps to convince the Union Government on the concerns raised by the fishermen. Traditional and small-scale fishermen should be encouraged for deep sea fishing while foreign vessels would be asked to stay away from this sector, Shibu Baby John said.

Presiding over, National Fishworkers’ Forum secretary T Peter said any attempt to prevent fishermen from carrying out their livelihood activities would be opposed.

The forum would organise protests at the national-level against this, he said. D Sanjeev Ghosh and Vince Jain presented resolutions at the workshop. S Raveendran Nair, Joseph Xavir Kalappurackal, Neythil Vincent, V K Madhusoodanan, Satheesh Babu, Fr Mathyas Oliver, P P John, Anto Elias, V Romance and Jackson Pollayil also spoke.

The NFF, KSMTF and ADSGAF are  jointly organizing a one day workshop on “A Critical Review of Deep Sea Fishing Policy and Conservation of Sharks” on 16th September 2014 at Press Club, Trivandrum from 10.30 am to 3.30 pm.

The workshop is being organised with the aim of analysing the move of the Government of India to create offshore buffer zones, ban fishing of
certain species of sharks and rays, promoting foreign trawlers in India etc.

We cordially invite you for the workshop and give your valuable suggestions.

For Organizers
T.Peter- NFF,  Jackson Pollayil-KSMTF, V.Romanse-ADSGAF

For Details and to RSVP:
Mr. T.Peter
National Secretary
Tutors Lane, Statue, Trivandrum
Mob: 09744259831