[Reader-list] Fish workers' associations reject CRZ notification

[T Peter]

Fish workers' associations reject CRZ notification
Ignatius Pereira
Monday, January 10, 2011

: The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification issued by the Union
Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) on January 6 does not
reflect the issues raised by the National Fishworkers Forum (NFF) or
the Kerala Swathantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation (KSMTF).

Talking to The Hindu on Sunday, KSMTF president T. Peter and NFF
chairman Matanhy Saldhana said the Ministry had not kept its promise
given to the NFF during the four rounds of talks between them in New
Delhi and Mundra. He warned that the fishing community would launch an
agitation against the notification if the assurances were not
fulfilled.

They said the Ministry had indicated that the provision relating to
‘roads-on-stilts' would be dropped from the final notification in view
of protests by the fishing community and environmental groups against
its potential for misuse.

However, the provision has been retained in the final notification.

The Ministry had assured the fishing community organisations of fair
representation in the national and State-level Coastal Zone Management
Authorities (CZMA), with at least three persons on each CZMA.

The assurance does not find mention in the final notification. Mr.
Saldanha said the fishing community was the traditional inhabitants of
the coast with the largest stake in its protection and management.

Further, an assurance had been given to the NFF that the provision to
notify critically vulnerable coastal areas (CVCA) would be modified
and notified as community managed coastal reserves (CMCR).
Community-led models of management and conservation were more
effective in meeting environmental and social objectives, Mr. Saldanha
said.

Mr. Peter said the fishing community feared misuse of the provision
that permitted State-level coastal zone management plans (CZMP) to be
revised every five years.



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•Fish workers warn of agitation
•‘No proper representation in CZMAs'