KOLKATA: Small-scale fishing folk from West Bengal have called for stronger protection of traditional fishing rights, climate-risk insurance, wider social security coverage and greater participation in coastal governance during a community consultation for India’s National Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries.The consultation, organised by the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation in Diamond Harbour, brought together 70 delegates representing diverse small-scale fishing occupations across South 24 Parganas and other coastal and estuarine communities. Participants highlighted concerns linked to customary fishing rights, access to welfare schemes, disaster preparedness, coastal development impacts and women’s participation in fisheries policy.The Union Department of Fisheries is leading the community consultation process across coastal states and Union Territories, with BOBP-IGO serving as the secretariat and facilitator for the preparation of the Marine National Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries.Delegates urged authorities to protect customary tenure and traditional fishing rights, particularly in areas affected by coastal development and changing access to fishing grounds. They called for effective implementation of Free, Prior and Informed Consent in projects that affect fishing communities, stressing that fishers must be consulted before decisions are made on coastal infrastructure, conservation measures or development activities that influence their livelihoods.Participants said climate-related risks are placing growing pressure on small-scale fishing families. They demanded tailored parametric insurance products to cover weather-related livelihood losses, along with improved medical insurance, stronger social security and easier access to welfare entitlements.Fishers also called for faster and simpler issuance of small-scale fisheries identity cards, which they said are essential for formal recognition, welfare access and inclusion in government schemes. Strengthening Integrated Child Development Services support in fishing villages was also raised as a priority.Disaster preparedness emerged as a major concern, with participants seeking stronger village-level disaster management committees and better early-warning, response and relief systems. Delegates stressed that women must be included in disaster planning and response mechanisms, given their central role in household resilience, post-harvest work and community recovery after cyclones, floods and other coastal hazards.Women fish workers participated actively in the consultation and raised issues related to post-harvest fisheries, market access, income security, social protection and recognition of their work. Delegates said women’s roles in fisheries remain under-represented in policy discussions and called for their meaningful inclusion in decision-making bodies linked to fisheries, welfare and coastal governance.The Diamond Harbour meeting was part of the West Bengal consultation process for the national plan. Earlier consultations were held at Kakdwip Fishing Harbour, covering the Sundarbans, Kakdwip, Namkhana and Sagar areas, and at Kanthi–Dadan Patrabar Fish Landing Centre, covering East Midnapore.The recommendations from West Bengal will feed into the national process to develop India’s Marine National Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries and support implementation of the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries.The National Task Force constituted for the exercise is expected to incorporate consultation findings into the draft plan, which is scheduled for public consultation before review, finalisation and notification.
