*By Express News Service 30 Oct 2009 12:09:00 AM IST* ‘177 fish species will be imported’
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Swatantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation (KSMTF) will join other major fisheries trade unions from Kerala in the march to Parliament against the Indo-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement to be taken out in Delhi on November 11. In a press release, KSMTF said that the Indo-ASEAN FTA includes 177 fish species that will be imported into India, which will affect the entire fishing community, including women fish vendors. On November 21, World Fisheries Day, KSMTF has decided to hold a series of mass protests across the state, opposing the Marine Fisheries Bill and the Indo-ASEAN FTA. The traditional and small scale fishworkers will be drastically restricted in the pursuit of their livelihood, by the Marine Fisheries (Regulation and Management) Bill 2009. The Bill prevents fishworkers from going further than 12 nautical miles from the coastline, when in normal conditions; the fish stocks are only available within a range of 50-80 km from the coastline. While fishing, sea currents and strong winds may force the vessel to cross 12 nautical miles - and according to the Bill, this will lead to severe imprisonment and a penalty upto 9 lakhs. The decision regarding a national agitation against the concerns regarding Marine Fisheries Bill 2009 and the Indo-ASEAN FTA will be taken at the National Fishworkers Forum General Body Meeting on December 7-9 at Kolkata, the release said. The KSMTF state committee has decided to designate November, December and January as months for fund collection, to facilitate various struggles and activities, it said. *Date:31/10/2009* *URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/10/31/stories/2009103161980300.htm* ------------------------------ *Fish workers to launch protest * Special Correspondent Thiruvananthapuram: The State committee of the Kerala Swantantra Malsya Thozhilali Federation (KSMTF), which met here on Thursday, decided to organise a series of mass protests across the State on November 21 to oppose the Marine Fisheries Bill and the Indo-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement. The meeting observed that the Marine Fisheries (Regulation and Management) Bill 2009 would affect the livelihood of traditional and small scale fish workers. This, it said, represented a direct attack on the traditional and customary rights of the fishing community. Participants at the meeting noted that fishermen played a pivotal role in matters relating to national security and remained constantly vigilant while fishing in the deep seas. The Bill, they said, prevented fish workers from going further than 12 nautical miles from the coastline, when in normal conditions fish stocks were only available within a range of 50-80 km from the coastline. Crossing the 12 nautical miles limit would lead to imprisonment and a penalty up to Rs.9 lakh. Speakers at the meeting also said the Free Trade Agreement would also facilitate the import of 177 fish species, posing another threat to the livelihood of the fishing community. The KSMTF will join other major fisheries trade unions from Kerala on November 11 in a march to Parliament, opposing the FTA --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
