Odisha has bounty of nature with sea coast, lake, river and water reservoir of fresh, brackish and marine water which has been a sustainable source of livelihood for water based communities including fisher folk, fish workers and people engaged in allied activities since generations.
Fishing has been a long tradition providing employment, income and food security. It’s estimated that a population of about 12 lakh, including 9 lakh in inland and 3.33 lakh in marine sector, depends on fishing for livelihood. The inland fishermen population is highest in Chilika followed by Ganjam, Khurda, Cuttack, Kendrapada, Jajpur and Puri. The marine fishermen population is highest in Baleswar, followed by Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur , Kendrapada, Puri and Ganjam. The fishing population is located in 3,878 villages all over the State out of which 641 are marine and 3,237 are inland villages. The literacy rate of fisher folk is 48.15 per cent and most of the fishing villages lack basic infrastructure like communicating road, electricity, drinking water, health, sanitary facility, school and housing.
The fishery sector contributes about 3 per cent to the GSDP and has potentialities of growth to generate employment and food security.
During the year 2010-11, Odisha’s fish production was 382.50 thousand MT. In the year 2012-13, about 22,000 MT of fish worth Rs 793 crore was exported to foreign countries and at the same time about 60,000 MT of fresh water fish worth Rs 890 crore was imported from
neighbouring States.
The fish production during last five years has substantially increased in neighbouring States like AP, WB and Chattisgarh where as the production in Odisha increased very marginally. WB and AP have highest fish production in the country followed by Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. Odisha ranks ninth position in the country in terms of fish production and the per capita consumption of fish has increased with average 10kg per year. The fishery development policy of the State and the prospective plan of the fisheries sector in Odisha for next ten years have emphasized to improve the production of fish through private sector investment, but equal importance has not been attached to the communities in the sector considering the changing socio-economic and environmental context in the coming days. There has been no mention about the rights of traditional fishing communities.
The recent economic development in the State has affected the fishing community of the State which is a matter of concern for about three per cent of the total population of the State. There are 14 potential sites for development of minor ports in the coast. The ports in Gopalpur and Kirtania at Subarnarekha mouth in Baleswar, Dhamara and Chaudami in Bhadrak, and Astaranga in Puri have been developed through private companies like the Aditya Birla Group. There has been discussion about coastal highway connecting Dhigha to Vizag. The 100 MoUs by the State with corporate houses for industries , nine small ports in Odisha coast , tourism industry , setting up power and polluting industries in coast and river banks and costal conservation initiatives are going to impact the people which will be largely displacing coastal community including fisher folk from their land and water based livelihood. The process will destroy habitations and pave the way for loss of livelihood. The strict implementation of Odisha Maritime Fishing Regulation Act has restricted the access of fishing communities.
Fishing by use of traditional boat engaged the whole family including women and children in different roles. The people engaged in marine fishing in 480 km coat of Odisha have been already facing a number of issues in recent times due to natural disaster, climate change and capital investment in fishing by the corporate world such as fishing by vessels and trawlers .The production of marine fish has been decreasing due to pollution, natural disaster and change in ecosystems with vanishing mangrove forest. The issue of turtle breeding and low pressure has almost been preventing them enter into the sea for about more than six months which is affecting very much the livelihood of the communities depending on coast for survival. The conservation actions have prevented the fishing community to do fishing in national parks and sanctuaries in the coast. The Forest Rights Act, 2006 allows STs and other traditional forest dwellers for fishing right and use of water bodies in forest areas which is also applicable to fisher folks in mangrove forest area. The Wild life Protection Act, 2006 protects the rights and occupational interest of traditional fishing community.
The tourism development in port areas of Gopalpur, Puri, Satapada and Chilika lake has restricted traditional fishing right of the local fishing community .Chilika lake is home to 2.5 lakh fisher folk. The illegal prawn farming by outsiders has created negative impact over the local fishing community.
The people engaged in small scale and traditional fishing are facing the problem of pollution in mining and industrial belt where the river and other traditional water sources are found increasingly
polluted.
This has been evident with traditional fishing community living on the bank of rivers like Brahamani, Mahanadi and Baitarani having lost their livelihood. The other problems faced by them are indebtedness and distress sale of fish by the local traders in the absence of a supporting price system by the State. The water bodies such as ponds, canals, lakes, wetlands and reservoirs are being restricted to them for fishing. These people are also being debarred from participation in managing these water bodies. The power of planning and management of minor water bodies in the scheduled areas is vested with the panchyats. Similarly, the panchyats in non scheduled area should allow traditional fisher folk to have rights over water bodies for livelihood purpose where ever they have presence but there has been non existence of such a provision.
The right to fish and manage the fisheries in inland public water bodies should be given to traditional inland fishing communities for their livelihood as a majority of them are still engaged in fishing for survival. They should be encouraged with fishing based value added activities in their own locality through skill up gradation and capital support. The fishermen/women cooperatives are the best models proved successful in Kudumbashree of Kerala. Kerala has also introduced biometric identity card for fishermen including traditional fishing community.
Odisha has 2.56 lakh hectares of reservoir where the State reservoir fishery policy encourages leasing out for fishing to primary fishermen cooperatives of locally displaced families and use of advanced technologies for the purpose. This needs to be implemented by the State. The Government has setup fish farmers’ development agencies in each district to develop fish pond and trained fish farmers for inland fishing development which should give priority to traditional fish workers but many of the policies of have not reached to the people in fishing sector.
As a majority of the fishermen are land less they should be provided land for housing and right over common property resources and supported with credit to their fisheries cooperatives along with infrastructure development in the locality for fish trading. Along with education and skill development, the local youths of the fishing communities need to be encouraged for tourism. While recognizing the rights of traditional fishing communities, steps should be taken in the light of recommendation given by a committee on fisheries of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The guidelines of work in fishing convention of IlO 2007 should be adopted to improve the living and working condition of the fish workers.
(The writer is a rights activist, who can be reached at ojaabbsr@gmail.com)