Net victory

RECENTLY, mood was upbeat among the traditional fisherfolk of India, as the long-awaited report by the Murari Committee on controversial deep sea fishing (DSF), came by favouring the stand taken by them. The report, finalised on January 24, has unequivocally opposed the government's DSF Policy of opening up the country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for big ventures or foreign vessels. Also, the draft National Fisheries Policy, awaiting Parliament's approval, has noted its reservations on the entry of foreign vessels in Indian coastal waters.

An all-India fisheries strike was held on January 18. And a demonstration by the national action committee of several trade unions and Central Trade Unions Against Foreign Fishing Vessels - an umbrella body of the National Fishworkers Forum (NFF) - convened by Thomas Kocherry of the NFF, apparently hastened the finalisation of the Murari Committee report.

For the time being, the fishing scenario looks calm and untangled. The highlights of the report which are expected to support the country's fishing communities are:
• All licences-issued to joint venture, test, and lease vessels should be cancelled immediately

• No renewal or extension of such Licences

• No deep sea vessels (exceeding 20 m in length) be allowed to fish in coastal waters

• An exclusive zone be created for traditional fisherfolk and mechanised boats below 20 m in length - upto 50 nautical miles from the shore, or a depth zone of less than 150 m

• Financial help for technological upgradation of traditional and small mechanised sectors

• Beefing up coast guards to prevent entry of deep sea vessels into coastal waters

However, it is entirely up to the government to accept or reject these recommendations.

The rationale for allowing in foreign vessels was that the Indian deep sea was largely unexplored. But the draft National Fisheries Policy pointed out that against the present estimate of a maximum sustainable yield in the EEZ of 3.9 million tonnes, the present catch is 1.7 million tonnes, which is 70 per cent of the potential.

Supporters of the DSF policy Claim that the catch in deep seas is anyway too less to bother about, and too tough for the traditional fisherfolk to handle. But Kocherry quips, "It is a fallacy to imagine that deep sea vessels will stay within the area defined for them."

Global assessment of the issue of deep sea fishing has been sombre too. The National Geographic magazine reported in November 1995: "The annual catch from the sea has peaked at about 78 million metric tonnes and seems stable so far." In fact, the Food and Agriculture Organization and other organisations have been pushing for stringent fishing regulations and conservation moves for a long time (Down To Earth, Vol 18, No 4).

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