Industry Odisha Bureau, Oct 13: More than 50 delegates met in Kochi to shape India’s proposed small-scale fisheries action plan. They sought disaster preparedness, income compensation, sustainable fishing rules and recognition for women.
Small-scale fishers have sought stronger climate protection and social security at a Kochi consultation. Women fish-workers also demanded formal recognition of their role in the sector. The meeting fed into India’s proposed National Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries.
More than 50 delegates attended the session at the ICAR–Central Institute of Fisheries Technology. They included fishers, women fish-workers, vendors, fisher organisations and researchers. Their inputs aim to ground national planning in livelihood realities.
The Kochi meeting forms part of a nationwide consultation exercise. The Union Fisheries Department is leading the process across coastal States and Union Territories. The Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation, or BOBP-IGO, acts as secretariat and facilitator.
The NPOA-SSF aims to set a national framework for small-scale fisheries. It could shape resource access, social protection, climate adaptation and gender equality. The plan remains under development, and the recommendations are not yet policy.
Participants urged that disaster preparedness and climate adaptation be built into national fisheries strategies. Severe weather keeps boats ashore, cutting working days and household income. Early warnings and coastal risk planning can help communities prepare.
Delegates also sought compensation for income lost during fishing bans and severe-weather days. Seasonal bans are regulatory, while weather disruptions are unpredictable. Both leave workers dependent on daily catches without earnings. Stronger social security could cushion such gaps, though no compensation has been approved.
On sustainability, participants recommended comprehensive mesh-size regulations. Mesh size affects how many juvenile fish are caught before they can breed. Protecting young stock supports future catches, though tighter rules can squeeze short-term earnings.
Protection of traditional fishing and tenure rights was another key demand. Secure access to fishing grounds underpins livelihood security for small-scale fishers. They sought a larger community role in marine resource management. Fishers’ practical knowledge of the sea could make regulations more workable.
Women fish-workers drew attention to the sector’s work beyond the boat. Many handle post-harvest tasks, processing, marketing and vending. They sought formal recognition of these contributions across the value chain. Recognition could improve their visibility in livelihood programmes and policy.
They further sought a greater say in policy formulation and decision-making. Women highlighted specific challenges in post-harvest handling and fish marketing. Policies shaped without them risk missing large parts of the supply chain.
CIFT Director George Ninan inaugurated the meeting, organised with the Federation of Indian Fisher Organizations. Nikita Gopal, head of CIFT’s Extension, Information and Statistics Division, led the consultation. She said the recommendations would go to the National Task Force drafting the plan.
BOBP-IGO Director P. Krishnan said the plan would cover resource access and sustainable management. He added it would address decent work, gender equality, climate change and disaster risk. The task force is scheduled to incorporate consultation findings in early November. A draft is due for public consultation on November 21.
Publication of the draft does not mean final adoption. The plan’s value will rest on implementation and continued community participation. Balancing livelihoods with healthy fish stocks remains the central test.
