VASCO
Olencio Simoes, General Secretary of National Fishworkers Forum (NFF) who was appointed as member of the Indian Nyeleni Steering committee, on Tuesday said the government must immediately come out with a new legislation to protect depleted fish quantity.
In a press release, Simoes stated that he was a part of the III Nyéléni Global Forum at Sri Lanka which was organised by the International Planning Committee (IPC) for food sovereignty organised in the Asia Pacific Region.
“The event saw a participation from 12 countries during a meeting in Negombo, Sri Lanka. While on the field trip and in conversation with the Sri Lankan fishers, we realised that there had quit fishing due to LED light fishing. We were informed that the LED lights usage for fishing had completely exploited the fish stocks in the sea and that the fishermen had now been working as plumbers, carpenters and other jobs since there was no fish in their waters,” said Simoes.
“The general secretary of World Forum of Fisheries Peoples (WFFP) Herman Kumara from Sri Lanka also appealed to the Indian government and as well as Goa government to immediately ban LED light fishing in its water. He said the Indian fishermen could meet the same fate like that of the Sri Lankan fishermen, who have now quit fishing and now become labourers in Sri Lanka,” said Simoes.
Simoes said Annamarie Kon, a fisher woman leader from Hawaii, stated that the Indian government should follow the Hawaiian system of managing the fishing stock, where the fishing community does not fish in spawning grounds areas, coral area and other protected areas for almost 2 to 10 years which has helped the fishing stocks to replenish.
“It is high time that the government immediately work towards protecting the already depleting fishing stocks in our country by bringing new legislations, so that the livelihood of fishers will be protected in the years to come,” added Simoes.
