[Reader-list] Fish workers to launch protest

[T Peter]

 *By Express News Service
30 Oct 2009 12:09:00 AM IST*

‘177 fish species will be imported’

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Swatantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation
(KSMTF) will join other major fisheries trade unions from Kerala in the
march to Parliament against the Indo-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement to be taken
out in Delhi on November 11.
 In a press release, KSMTF said that the Indo-ASEAN FTA includes 177 fish
species that will be imported into India, which will affect the entire
fishing community, including women fish vendors.
 On November 21, World Fisheries Day, KSMTF has decided to hold a series of
mass protests across the state, opposing the Marine Fisheries Bill and the
Indo-ASEAN FTA.
 The traditional and small scale fishworkers will be drastically restricted
in the pursuit of their livelihood, by the Marine Fisheries (Regulation and
Management) Bill 2009. The Bill prevents fishworkers from going further than
12 nautical miles from the coastline, when in normal conditions; the fish
stocks are only available within a range of 50-80 km from the coastline.
 While fishing, sea currents and strong winds may force the vessel to cross
12 nautical miles - and according to the Bill, this will lead to severe
imprisonment and a penalty upto 9 lakhs. The decision regarding a national
agitation against the concerns regarding Marine Fisheries Bill 2009 and the
Indo-ASEAN FTA will be taken at the National Fishworkers Forum General Body
Meeting on December 7-9 at Kolkata, the release said.
 The KSMTF state committee has decided to designate November, December and
January as months for fund collection, to facilitate various struggles and
activities, it said.

*Date:31/10/2009* *URL:
http://www.thehindu.com/2009/10/31/stories/2009103161980300.htm*

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*Fish workers to launch protest *

Special Correspondent

   Thiruvananthapuram: The State committee of the Kerala Swantantra Malsya
Thozhilali Federation (KSMTF), which met here on Thursday, decided to
organise a series of mass protests across the State on November 21 to oppose
the Marine Fisheries Bill and the Indo-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement.

The meeting observed that the Marine Fisheries (Regulation and Management)
Bill 2009 would affect the livelihood of traditional and small scale fish
workers. This, it said, represented a direct attack on the traditional and
customary rights of the fishing community.

Participants at the meeting noted that fishermen played a pivotal role in
matters relating to national security and remained constantly vigilant while
fishing in the deep seas.

The Bill, they said, prevented fish workers from going further than 12
nautical miles from the coastline, when in normal conditions fish stocks
were only available within a range of 50-80 km from the coastline. Crossing
the 12 nautical miles limit would lead to imprisonment and a penalty up to
Rs.9 lakh.

Speakers at the meeting also said the Free Trade Agreement would also
facilitate the import of 177 fish species, posing another threat to the
livelihood of the fishing community.

The KSMTF will join other major fisheries trade unions from Kerala on
November 11 in a march to Parliament, opposing the FTA