The National Fishworkers Forum (NFF) took part in a two-day national workshop titled “Aligning India’s National Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries with the Global SSF Process,” held in Narendrapur, West Bengal. The event was organised by the Institute for Motivating Self Employment (IMSE) in collaboration with the East Coast Fish Workers Union (ECFWU), and brought together trade unions, fishworkers’ bodies, researchers and civil society groups from across the country.
Speaking at the workshop, NFF General Secretary Olencio Simoes called for the urgent implementation of the FAO’s Voluntary Guidelines for Small-Scale Fisheries (VGSSF), which India endorsed in 2014 but has yet to put into practice.
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He highlighted the mounting livelihood challenges faced by small-scale fishers due to climate change, destructive fishing practices and unregulated coastal development. The NFF urged the government to adopt an inclusive, rights-based approach to fisheries policy and reaffirmed its willingness to work with authorities to safeguard the livelihoods and rights of traditional fishing communities.
