Fishermen’s organization wrote a letter to the Centre, demanding maritime security intervention

Expressing serious concern over the threat to coastal security, the All Maharashtra Macchimar Kriti Samiti (AMMKS) has sought intervention of the Central Government authorities to initiate corrective measures at the earliest.

In his letter emailed to Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala, President of AMMKS-Devendra Damodar Tandel has highlighted the contents of the recent map released by Global Fish Watch data, which shows that by Indian boats The most heavily fished areas are. Which are equipped with Automatic Identification System (AIS) tracking transponders.

Notably, as part of the security measures taken after the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks, in which Pakistani terrorists were seen boarding a hijacked Indian boat and sailing to the coast, the Central Government has imposed high security measures on all fishing vessels. It was made mandatory to install transponders with technology which are higher than this. 20 meters tall in 2009.

Question mark on efficiency of state fisheries system

However, according to Tandel, none of the more than 20,000 registered fishing vessels of traditional fishermen in the state are longer than 14 metres, thus raising a serious question mark over the efficiency of the state fisheries machinery. Tandel further says that the data clearly indicates that a lot of illegal fishing activities are taking place off the west coast of India by foreign and corporate fishing vessels as they are entering within 12 nautical miles of the state border. While this indicates danger. The security agencies are carrying out the responsibility of protecting the western waters from violations by terrorist organizations. This is in view of the presence of sensitive installations like the Tarapur Nuclear Power Plant in Palghar and at a time when the 26/11 terrorist attacks are still fresh in our minds.

Apart from urging the need to review maritime security mechanisms for the security of the state and the country, the email also expressed concern over the displacement of traditional fishermen and their fear of loss of livelihoods due to harmful projects such as crude oil refineries in Amir Is. The source of fishing areas in Ratnagiri and the proposed Wadhawan port in Palghar which is going to cause devastation to the local fishing community.