Vasco: The National Fishworkers Forum (NFF) said it will launch an agitation if the state enforces the marine spatial planning (MSP) framework. The NFF has reservations about the MSP framework, fearing its impact on fishing communities and marine biodiversity.Olencio Simoes, general secretary of NFF, said the issue had been discussed during the national consultation in Karwar attended by representatives from Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat.“The policies introduced in the name of the blue economy should not cause loss to the fishing community,” said Simoes.“Goa cannot afford to lose its traditional fishing grounds to commercialisation of the sea. Our coastal communities depended on these waters for generations,” he said, adding that any policy that threatens local communities’ access to the sea will face opposition from the fishing community.He alleged MSP could pave the way for allocation of marine spaces within India’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to commercial and industrial activities, potentially placing corporate interests ahead of local fishers’ interests.
