This World Fisheries day, the National Fishworkers Forum resolves to resist and push for the rollback of the policies and projects which threaten coastal and marine ecologies on which the lives and livelihood of fishworkers is dependent. Across the nine coastal states of India, the affiliates of NFF have criticized and mounted protests against policies and projects being implemented:
National fishworkers forum celebrated World fisheries Day by addressing mega rally on account of World fisheries Day against adani's Wadhvan Port at Azad maiden, Mumbai.Olencio GS Stated that Wadhvan Port is to be build with 30 berths to transport 300Million meter tonne per annum of cargo which mainly consist of Coal.NFF has warned the central government to stop destruction of coastline as this will have
irreversible
impact on ocean temparature which will led to climate change.
In Kerala, the Kerala Swanthanthra Matsya Thozhilali Federation held a Sea Satyagraha across 14 districts with a single demand to withdraw the Vizhinjam project in its totality. The project itself has already caused extensive environmental damage and displacement. In the aftermath of recent floods which led to devastation and loss of lives, this project is seen as one that makes the coast and its people even more vulnerable to disaster and climate change related impacts.
The Dakshin Banga Matsya Jeevi Forum in West Bengal had more than 17 gatherings in various districts of South and North Bengal Bengal warning the government to withdraw initiatives to marginalise the small-scale fishworkers. Commemorating World Fisheries day, they hoisted the flags in the meetings.
Tamil Nadu were resisting the draft CZMP 2019 released by Department of Environment on October 2022 for public consultation and last day to register the comments was 21 November 2022. The fishers unions petitioned the district as well as the state authorities to Give up CRZ 2019 and draft CZMP 2019 consultations which is not relevant to the way of life of the traditional fishers. Today, the unions announced black day for FISHERS and demanded to provide CRZ2019 in regional languages as well as access to each village. Further, they have demanded to revisit the CRZ 2019 and scrap draft CZMP 2019 to secure the traditional rights of fisher. In Tamil Nadu unions have been organised several gatherings across in coastal districts of Tamil Nadu.
The Traditional Fishworkers Union in Andhra Pradesh, and the unions in Pondicherry and Odisha too commemorated this day with enthusiasm as well as give stern warnings to the anti-fishing community policies which are being implemented.
National Fishworkers Forum celebrates World Fisheries Day to commemorate the formation of the Global Fisher Movement which took place in New Delhi in 1997. As a co-founder of this movement, NFF draws strength from the history of the struggle and commits to forming coalitions at the regional and national level which will feed into Global Natural Resources Dependent Communities Forum to fight against the forces which are against the people and nature. To this end, we invite global movements to join us in solidarity to reclaim the coast and ocean.NFF also has demanded to drop all port expansion plans including Goa, Karnataka etc in coastal areas as this will lead to raise in ocean temperature and due to large scale dredging 42% of our coastline is already eroded and if such anti coastal projects are not dropped then several square kilometers of land will be under water.
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