The proposed Sagarmala projects, relaxation of the Coastal Regulation Zone norms, and the latest hike in diesel price are attempts to oust fishers from their natural habitat, say unions which have called on the government to step in to help them overcome one of the worst fishing seasons in recent memory.
The diesel price hike is so devastating that “venturing out for fishing has become a big liability, for both traditional and mechanised fishing operations,” said V.D. Majeendran of the Swathanthra Matsya Thozhilali Federation. The petrol price has gone up to ₹74.80 a litre and diesel price to ₹70.31 a litre in Kochi, going up by ₹2.50 and ₹2.46 respectively from the first week of July.
There has been frequent increase in the price of both kerosene and diesel in recent years and fishers have been calling for subsidy that had been taken off the government agenda, Mr. Majeendran said.
Distance water fishing and long-liners involve about 5,000 litres of diesel per fishing venture and it adds up to an extra ₹12,500 per trip, said Charles George of the Matsya Thozhilali Aikya Vedhi. A trawler boat requires about 5,000 litres while purseiners require between 300 and 400 litres of diesel.
The diesel price hike has come at a time when fish landings have drastically dropped. Though the price of oil sardines had gone up to nearly ₹300 a kg in the retail market here, fishers were left high and dry because there was hardly any catch, said Mr. George. He said that the sardines being sold in the Kerala market came from fishing harbours such as Cuddalore and Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu.
Slew of projects
He said the Sagarmala projects had identified a slew of projects for port and port-related developments, which had no concern for the rights of fishermen, who were already environmental refugees owing to the severe effects of climate change and poor fish catch.
Relaxation in the Coastal Regulation Zone norms was also a sign that the coast of India would become a lucrative real property in which fishermen would have no place, Mr. George claimed.
The fisheries sector too had been proposed to be brought under the PPP mode of development and the future was unsure for fishers, he said.
