Fisherfolk in port town of Paradip in urgent need of more than just bait and tackle
In Shandhakuda, a bustling habitation of fisherfolk in the port town of Paradip on India’s eastern coast, Chavakula Tatababu, 46, is frantically making calls to his crew aboard a fishing vessel. He awaits updates on their catch from the depths of the Bay of Bengal. It is the beginning of April, and the ban on shoreline fishing scheduled from April 15 to June 15 will soon kick in.
Disappointment sets in as reports from the seven crew members navigating the waters off Paradip, Odisha, indicate no significant haul. Tatababu, having already invested ₹30,000 in diesel and other provisions for the crew, anxiously calculates the potential loss. Without a catch worth ₹1 lakh in the deep sea, up to 100 kilometres out, this fishing expedition is poised to yield no substantial returns.
“The government will compensate us with ₹3,500 but that is not enough for a family of four,” says Tatababu, who is a secondgeneration migrant marine fisherman.
A combination of unsupportive government policies, unpredictable shifts in weather and sea pollution have exacerbated Tatababu’s challenges.
Along the coastline, especially in Odisha, bans on fishing for various reasons are taking a toll on the sector that contributes ₹3,500 crore annually to the economy, and supports over 15 lakhfishermen , as per the State Directorate of Fisheries.
There are 1,714 mechanised fishing trawlers, along with 10,359 motorised boats and 3,868 nonmotorised fishing boats engaged in marine fishing, as per the Odisha Marine Fish Producers’ Association (OMFPA). The organisation estimates the value of marine fishing vessels at around ₹1408.82 crore, with a total investment of ₹1,341 crore in ancillary industries like cold storage, ice plants, and processing plants. They want the State government to devise a strategy to make the sector sustainable.
Incomes crunched
The stakes are particularly high for OMFPA president Srikant Parida, who owns eight trawlers, each of which costs between ₹30 lakh and ₹1 crore. “The fish we get in a trawler amounts to about 8 tonnes, against a couple of tonnes from smaller mechanised boats. If the fish catch fails to meet expectations for any reason, I will lose ₹1 lakh per voyage,” Parida adds.
In the coastal village of Gandakipur, 20 km from Paradip, Hiranya Behera, 43, owns four fishing trawlers, all acquired secondhand. “Our catch depends largely on luck. We often have to travel long distances in the search of fish, burning fuel and facing financial losses in the process,” he says.
Behera isn’t just concerned about turning a profit from his fishing venture. Around 30 other fishermen employed by him who embark on fishing expeditions worry about the sustainability of their profession.
Parida says,“Approximately 1.2 million families rely directly and indirectly on marine fishing and related activities in Odisha. With the ₹1,400 crore trade facing increasing unsustainability, it’s imperative for the government to adopt empathetic measures to avert the sector’s collapse.”
Another problem is the congestion on the free water area by trawlers from Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal. To circumvent the 20 kmrestricted area, trawler operators and traditional boaters spend heavily on diesel. It is always difficult to identify prohibited areas on the vast waters. The association talks about the seizure of trawlers for the violation of prohibition.
“We spend 100 to 150 litres to avoid the 20km prohibited zone. For small boats, the volume of diesel comes to 100 litres per voyage; for trawlers this could go up to 200 litres. Plus, there is a dwindling of stock near the Odisha coast, which also causes further consumption of diesel, as we need to go deeper into the sea,” says Parida.
The primary demand of the association is tax exemption on diesel prices, which significantly impact operating costs. According to the OMFPA president, the annual consumption of diesel by various boats amounts to 55.36 crore litres, valued at over ₹5,259 crore. However, the State government’s 28% tax levy amounts to ₹1,472 crore, posing a considerable burden on fishers.
Industrialisation woes
After facing numerous prohibitions and interruptions, marine fisherfolk find themselves restricted to just two months, primarily September and October, to pursue fishing full time. However, their challenges extend beyond this narrow window. The gradual industrialisation along the coastline has severely impacted fish populations.
“Indiscriminate discharge of wastewater into the sea kills and drives away smaller fish close to the shore. It also negatively impacts fish breeding and fish population. It impacts small fishermen,” says Aurobinda Swain, general secretary of the OMFPA. https://bit.ly/Odishafishing