[Reader-list] Call to protect traditional rights of inland fishermen

[T Peter]

Call to protect traditional rights of inland fishermen

http://www.thehindu.com/2010/05/05/stories/2010050563300300.htm

Special Correspondent
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Changes sought in Inland Fishery Bill

Experts say most of its provisions

are unacceptable
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Thiruvananthapuram: Participants in a discussion organised by the
Kerala Swathanthra Matsya Thozhilali Federation here on Tuesday called
for provisions in the Kerala Inland Fishery Bill 2010 to protect the
traditional rights and livelihood security of inland fishermen.

Speakers said the Bill had ignored inland fishermen and people engaged
in allied activities. Most of its provisions were either inadequate or
unacceptable.

They called for steps to identify and register inland fishermen. The
current provisions to register these fish workers under the Kerala
Fishermen Welfare Societies Act (1980) were confusing.

They said that area-wise and population-wise, Ernakulam and Alappuzha
were the prime inland fisheries districts of the State. But they had
been excluded from the list of public hearing centres of the
legislative subject committee. The meeting called for rescheduling the
subject committee meetings to hold public hearings in the two
districts.

The speakers demanded that the Bill be called the Kerala Inland
Fisheries (Management and Regulation) Bill. The word ‘fishery' was a
restrictive term and hence should be deleted.

They said the inland fishermen of the State were vested with some
traditional rights for their fishing activities in filtration fields,
pokkali areas and paddy-cum-fishing fields. The Bill should
specifically acknowledge the traditional rights.

They said fisheries management was not merely “fish conservation and
fish reproduction.” Management involved socio-economic goals,
protection of livelihood, women-related issues in the sector and
consumer and trade-related activities. The principles of inland
fisheries management should be clearly indicated in the Bill.

Exclusive rights

They said the fishing rights in the inland fishing areas, such as
estuaries, rivers, reservoirs and brackish water and freshwater
sources, should be exclusively vested with the fishermen. The present
system of utilisation of these areas should be reviewed and adequate
provisions included for their future utilisation.


T. Peter, president of the federation; D. Sanjeeva Ghosh, former
Additional Director of Fisheries; S. Ravindran Nair, former Joint
Director of Fisheries; Julian Teelar, Executive, Fishmarc; and P.P.
John, general secretary of the federation; participated in the
discussions.