(Feature Image: Boats of small fishers in Hooghly river in Haldia. Credit: Rahul Singh/ Mongabay India)
The theme for World Fisheries Day (WFD) 2025, “We have not caught anything, but at your word I will let down the nets” aptly resembles the plight of lakhs of fisherfolks both inland and coastal in India whose livelihoods have apparently been undermined by various development projects. However, amid growing uncertainties they keep up the resistance against the destructive projects to reclaim their rights as the top ten stories of past one year compiled here signifies. This is the fifth part of our annual overview on the subject and in first four parts we have highlighted the positive developments on fisheries, impact of dams on fish diversity and habitats, important studies and new fish species discovered in India during past one year.
1 W Bengal fishermen embark on month-long boat rally for river rights In Nov. 2024, small fishermen embarked on a month-long boat rally from Fraserganj in South 24-Parganas to Farakka in Murshidabad to press for the rights to fish in rivers and the protection of fishing zones that are increasingly threatened by the growing use for navigation. The movement, spearheaded by the Dakshinbanga Matsyajibi Forum (DMF), is part of a larger campaign to protect rivers, aquatic life and the livelihoods of a few lakhs marginal fishermen in Bengal.
The fishermen demanded community land rights (pattas) to stretches of riverbanks used for pre-and post-fishing activities such as cleaning, sorting, and drying catches. They also demanded the demarcation of fishing zones along inland waterways to prevent conflicts with navigation. Among other demands are a ban on destructive fishing practices, such as bottom trawling and the use of mosquito nets, which harm fish populations, including prized species like Hilsa, and mitigation of pollution in rivers caused by industrial and transboundary waste. The organisation placed the 12-point charter of demands before the central and state govts.
In Nadia district, the Mathabhanga and Churni rivers are severely polluted by industrial waste from a Bangladeshi sugar factory. Despite a NGT directive to address the issue diplomatically, no substantial progress has been made. “Polluted water kills fish, and without fish, fishermen cannot survive,” said Swapan Bhowmik, a fisherman from Majhdia.
2 Bihar: Time to remember struggles of Ganga fisherfolks Recently several activists and supporters of the Ganga Mukti Andolan got together first at Delhi and later at Bhagalpur, Bihar. This has been perhaps the leading movement of river fisher folk in India to protest against several exploitative practices. Despite several difficulties this struggle succeeded in the fulfilment of several of its objectives with some important demands being accepted by the govt.
This brought considerable relief at that time to tens of thousands of fisher folk living by the banks of the Ganga in Bihar. Later this movement entered a new phase, which was aimed at helping boatmen. Of course, several challenges still remain for these fisher folk and boatmen operating not just in the Ganga River but in numerous other rivers of this country as well. The river fisher folk are very widely scattered and despite their innumerable problems, it is very difficult to organise them, particularly so in a state like Bihar with its poorer communications facilities and a very wide, intricate network of rivers. The Ganga alone flows across a 500 km stretch in Bihar, receiving several tributaries from other parts of Bihar and also from Nepal.
Relevance of Ganga Mukti Andolan: Then and Now On 22-23 Feb 2025, Ganga Mukti Andolan (GMA) celebrated its 43rd anniversary in Kahalgaon, Bhagalpur, Bihar. In the 2-day event, social activists from different parts of India participated to underline the problems faced by Ganga and the fisherfolk community of this region. Its slogan ‘Ganga ko aviral bahne do’ (let the Ganga flow freely) which united the different sections of the society to come together in the 1980s seems to be so relevant even today. For a movement to survive for four decades undoubtedly marks its relevance. However, during this long span of time, the movement has undergone several changes. But at the same time, it also marks a continuity and this essay is an attempt to understand the nuances and significance of this struggle. (Dr. Ruchi Shree)
3 Madhya Pradesh: Reservoir contracting system weighs heavily against fisherfolk In large reservoirs, contractors involved in fishery businesses are exploiting workers, engaging in corruption, and violating human rights. The State Fisheries Federation controls 26 reservoirs — 7 large and 19 medium – covering a total area of 2.29 lakh ha. Previously, fishery activities were managed through the now-defunct State Fisheries Development Corp, after which responsibilities were handed over to the State Fisheries Federation. The idea was to operate activities by involving active representatives from the local fisher community.
However, no elections have been held for over two decades in the Federation, and all operations are now handled through government-appointed administrators. It is crucial to form and run fishery cooperatives for various reservoirs through a democratic process.
4 Delhi: Disappearing fishermen Through 1980s & 90s and also the early 2000s, hundreds of fishermen migrated to Delhi, mainly from the east – West Bengal, Bihar and parts of Uttar Pradesh – to seek a livelihood from the Yamuna. They were drawn by the success of those who came before them and assured that the capital’s appetite for fresh fish would only grow.
Upstream is where they made their home, in huts along the banks of Wazirabad, Jagatpur, Sonia Vihar and Burari. The initial years were promising, and this part of the river was anyway in better health than the one downstream, flowing past ITO and Okhla. In the last 15 years, things went downhill with pollutants, mainly coliform, choking the river.
Every year, Delhi govt renews fishing licenses in March. “I pay Rs 350 annually for the license, but even that feels like a lot,” said Baidyanath. As of Dec 2024, there were 3,346 registered fishermen in Delhi. But the actual number casting nets is much lower.
As water from its catchment areas upstream reaches Delhi, life returns to the river. Nearly 100 fishermen from Bihar and West Bengal camp along the Yamuna near the Okhla Barrage for these 2-3 months each year. The rains, clean water and steady flow bring with it, a good catch. The pollution has killed most of the fish but desperate fishermen, mostly migrants, still cast their nets for whatever little they can catch.
5 Fishers opposing Panchet Dam floating solar project On Sept. 7, 2025 a few hundred fishers, mostly Adivasis, participated in a bike rally to protest a proposed floating solar power project on the Panchet dam. It is a 66-year-old multipurpose project on the river Damodar, along the border of W Bengal and Jharkhand. The fishers staged a demonstration, shouting slogans like “DVC Murdabaad” (down with DVC-Damodar Valley Corporation), “DVC hosiayar” (beware), and “solar project bandh karo” (scrap the solar project).
A floating solar power projects of 105 MW capacity have already been awarded for development on the Panchet reservoir. A similar or higher capacity is awaiting the tender process. Fishers who have been relying on the dam’s waters for their livelihoods say that nearly 1,500 families would not only lose their livelihoods but also their primary source of affordable nutrition, solely due to the first phase of the project.
Fishers in western India’s Maharashtra have been protesting a 1,200 MW floating solar project in Nathsagar reservoir of the Jayakwadi dam. In western India’s Gujarat, fishers are protesting a proposed 1,500 MW floating solar project on Ukai reservoir over the River Tapi. In MP, fishers who depended on the Omkareshwar dam’s reservoir for livelihood have reported loss of income after implementation of 278 MW floating solar project there.
Floating solar projects test India’s just transition promise Mega floating solar photovoltaic projects on dam reservoirs have previously triggered controversies in MP, Mah, Karnataka, & Gujarat, with loss of livelihood and impact on the water ecosystem being primary concerns.
6 Maharashtra floating solar plans face opposition from fishers The fishing community worries its way of life is at risk if government plans to install solar panels atop the Nathsagar reservoir go ahead. The government is considering a project to blanket about 7,500 ha of the 350-sq km reservoir near the town of Paithan with floating photovoltaics. Details on the Jayakwadi project, which is in the early stages of planning, are not publicly available, and THDC India Ltd, the power company behind it, did not respond to requests for information.
But their impact on nature is a topic of debate, and environmentalists have warned that they may adversely affect people who depend on fishing and agriculture. “We depend on this water for our food and our livelihood,” said Birute, who belongs to the local Kahar community. “If they cover the water with solar panels, what will happen to the fish? … If there are no fish, we will have nothing left.” About 25,000 families earn their living from the reservoir. Earlier this year, hundreds of fishers and their families protested against the planned solar farm, and one group is pursuing a legal challenge to stop construction. A hydroelectric plant on the banks of the river has been idle since Dec as it awaits maintenance, an engineer said. “Why don’t they fix what’s already built before starting another project?” said the activist Limbore. (Reuters)
Greens sought stay on Jayakwadi floating solar project Environmentalists have sought a stay on the forthcoming floating solar power project at the Jayakwadi dam pending clearance of wetland conservation rules by the Supreme Court. Recently, the fishermen community waged an unsuccessful battle in the NGT and the Supreme Court against the proposed solar plant. Fishermen fear the loss of their livelihood as they oppose the project.
7 Chennai fishers raise concerns at ETPS expansion public hearing Jayapalyam, a fisher community leader from Ennore, said nature and the livelihood of fishers were closely linked. He highlighted concerns over the impact on fishers’ livelihood, particularly the release of fly ash into the Kosasthalaiyar and Ennore backwaters by Tangedco. He pointed out that not only the water, but the air, too, was polluted in Ennore, and called for an increased focus on solar and wind energy as alternative solutions.
M. Karunakaran, a fisher leader from Kattukuppam, said Ennore’s industrial growth over the past 30 years had failed to create permanent jobs, while harming the livelihoods of fishers and farmers as well as the health of the locals. Some argued that the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment was invalid, as it was prepared based on the Terms of Reference finalised in January 2019, which were valid only for four years.
The project sparked fierce opposition from local residents and environmental activists. North Chennai, a region characterized by brackish wetlands and mangrove forests, already grapples with heavy industrialization which many residents blame for health-related issues. The local fishing community, heavily dependent on the region’s ecosystems, has also raised concerns about the impact on their livelihoods. In 2023, an oil spill from the CPCL refinery affected over 20,000 residents, further intensifying calls to reconsider additional industrial projects in the area. Concerns primarily stem from the fly ash deposited in the Kosasthalaiyar backwaters and Ennore Creek, where fishing communities live. A Joint Expert Committee, set up by the NGT, said in 2022 that the environment around the Ennore power plant was in a dire state, requiring immediate remedial action.
8 Mahadayi Dispute: ‘If Goa dies real estate projects won’t survive’ Q: Will the recent proposal to dam the Mhadei hasten the decline of Goa’s ecology? Abhijit Prabhudessai: Absolutely. I think it’s important this be stopped because once the diversion takes place, it will be difficult to reverse the process. The Mhadei sustains three wildlife sanctuaries. The loss of even a small amount of water would have severe implications in summer when there is lack of surface water for flagship species like the tiger. It also has implications for local communities living on farming and fisheries. The rich stock of fish is due to freshwater from the Mhadei mingling with salty water from the Mandovi river. It will reduce our fish catch.
Rivers are under assault in several ways. The nationalization of rivers was a big setback because now the Inland Waterways of India is going to do its best to promote shipping which is what it is required by law to do.
Then you have the Ports Authority Act which allows MPT (Mormugao Port Trust) to plan for rivers; the Sagarmala program which says 136 million tonnes of coal is going to be transported through Goa. After MPT takes over all the neighbouring fishing areas it can handle only 51 million tonnes. The remaining 86 million tonnes will be transported through Goa’s rivers. There is assault from tourism, casinos, iron ore industries and the barges. Rivers have been decimated by iron ore mining. Fisheries were in abundance but have been reduced to perhaps 10 percent of what they were.
9 Odisha: Proposed NH over Chilika opposed Environmentalists said the project will potentially damage the rich bio-diversity of Asia’s largest brackish water lake and leave a trail of destruction of the region’s fragile ecosystem. Secretary of Orissa Environmental Society, Jaya Krushna Panigrahi said that the construction of the highway would pose imminent threats to the livelihood of fishing communities, and would also endanger existence of migratory birds, who consider Chilika a safe haven during winter.
Environmentalists, fishermen and a section of local communities strongly opposed the construction of a proposed 4-km bridge over Chilika lake, connecting Satapada town to Janhikuda village. They have warned that the project threatens the lake’s delicate ecosystem, including its rich biodiversity and the livelihoods of over 100,000 people dependent on its resources. The two-lane planned over Chilika drew sharp criticism from environmentalists and conservationists who fear the lake’s fragile ecosystem and its rich biodiversity might face negative consequences of the project.
‘Chilika is not only the source of livelihood for over 1 lakh fishers, but is also of critical importance as a home to threatened species. The proposed 7.8-km connectivity includes 2 bridges of 1.7 km and 1.9 km length likely to interfere with the lake’s sedimentation, breeding migration and salinity. Add to it the threat from light, sound and vehicular pollution to the endangered Irrawaddy dolphins, for which Chilika is the single largest home.
Chilika lake is currently confronting several environmental & socioeconomic challenges & a fresh decision to construct the coastal highway (NH-516A), that will connect Gopalpur-Satpada passing through Krushnaprasad within Chilika, will further degrade the lake ecosystem & its biodiversity by way of increased air, water and noise pollution, said the panellists.
10 Kerala fishers protest offshore mining auction Fishing community on Jan. 11, 2025 organized a protest against the move by Union ministry of mines to auction coastal and offshore mining sites of Kerala. The Kerala Region Latin Catholic Council (KRLCC) joined several groups, including fishers’ unions, to demand rolling back the Union government’s plan to mine minerals from the sea off the Kerala coast, saying that sea mining will destroy the coastal ecosystem and wipe out fishers’ livelihood opportunities.
Kerala govt also expressed opposition to the Union government’s move to carry out sand mining off the state’s coast. The decision to conduct sand mining in the Kollam sector shocked the fishers as the region is a traditional fishing ground. The Kollam Parappu or Kollam Bank is one of the most productive fishing grounds on the southwest coast of India. The bank has a depth range of 275 to 375 metres. It extends to an area of 3,300 km2 off the coast of Kollam and Alappuzha districts. The region is rich in marine biological diversity, including pink perch, trevally, shrimp, lobster, pomfret, mackerel, oil sardine, Jewfish and Indian salmon.
The decision involves mining in a 242 sq km area at three locations near the seashore, with an estimated 302 million tonnes of sand available for extraction. “Kollam Bank is one of India’s regions rich in aquatic life, primarily due to its 1.5 meters of deep mud, which supports biodiversity. However, the mining process will remove the surface mud, potentially harming the fish,” said the president of Kerala forum of traditional fishermen.
Some More Relevant Reports
Policy gaps failing traditional fishing communities West Bengal’s traditional practice of fishing at a khoti is being challenged with dwindling fish stock, mechanised fishing and financial instability. The 2017 National Marine Policy envisions sustainable fishing to enhance fish stocks and secure livelihoods. But experts say it has remained largely ineffective with poor implementation and budgetary support.
Haldia’s small fishermen struggle with growing water transport, industrial pollution Haldia is a major industrial city with over 100 industrial units, including petrochemicals, power plants, and iron. The flow of polluted water from various industrial units into the river is affecting the fish and their quality. The construction of a jetty in Haldia is increasing the silt problem, making it difficult for fishermen to catch fish. The largest quantity of fly ash, followed by coal, is transported from Haldia, which, when dissolved in water, harms the fish.
Sundearbans small fishermen concerned about water transport, tourism. The central government is working on plans to promote water transport and cruise tourism in the Sundarbans, which is highly sensitive from the perspectives of biodiversity and climate change. Local fishermen are concerned about both initiatives, fearing they will harm their livelihoods. Experts say that the movement of heavy vessels causes erosion within the coast of the Sundarbans islands, leaving the surface untouched. The West Bengal government has also claimed that heavy vessels are causing erosion, a claim denied by the Inland Waterways Development Authority. Fishermen’s organizations say that heavy vessels do not follow navigation routes and cut the nets of small boats, causing economic losses for small fishermen. Fishermen also express concerns about fly ash transportation, the reduction of river depth, the increase in plastic waste, and the expansion of cruise tourism.
Bihar’s forgotten fisherfolk In the flood-prone districts of North Bihar, where the Bagmati River from Nepal brings both prosperity and destruction, traditional fishing communities struggle to survive as their ancient livelihood slowly disappears. (With over six million inland fishers, Bihar holds India’s largest river-dependent population.)
Delay in clearing restoration plan for Kanwar Lake The government has long neglected the land disputes surrounding the lake, exacerbating social tensions as fisherfolk claim fishing rights while farmers assert land ownership for agriculture. The real question is not whether Kabartal should be saved but how it should be saved. First, we must acknowledge that conservation, like land reform or economic policy, is never neutral. It benefits some and disadvantages others. Unless we address who gains and who loses from conservation efforts, we risk deepening the very inequalities that have created Kabartal’s crisis.
Himachal Pradesh: PWD rejects trout farmer’s Rs 47L claim The PWD has refused the demand for compensation made by a trout fish farm owner, who blamed the PWD for causing a loss of around Rs 47 lakh to him. Kushal Gupta, a resident of Haripur village near Manali in Kullu district, approached the NGT in 2024, claiming compensation after his farm suffered losses due to the construction of a new bridge over the Haripur nullah by the PWD in 2018. In his letter petition, Gupta stated that his trout farm was located around 50 meters downstream of the Haripur nullah, and all the muck and debris from the bridge construction work were dumped in the nullah, reaching his farm and killing trout fish due to water quality degradation and damage to the physical habitat. Gupta demanded compensation of Rs 47 lakh, an amount he claimed he lost due to the death of fish in his farm.
Maharashtra: Fishermen protest EEZ fisheries rules Fishermen observed Nov. 4, 2025 as a ‘Black Day’ in protest against the recently notified ‘Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the EEZ Rules, 2025’, which traditional fishing industry said has opened the Indian seas to big corporates and industrial trawlers. The rules will be ‘the beginning of the destruction of traditional fisheries’, the Akhil Maharashtra Machhimar Kruti Samiti said, accusing the government of attacking the livelihoods of lakhs of small-scale and traditional fishermen.
“These rules have legalised corporate intrusion into our seas,” said Devendra Damodar Tandel, president of the Samiti. “While the govt has fully accommodated the interests of the rich, it has completely ignored the 22 detailed suggestions submitted by traditional fisherfolk during consultations. Not a single one has been accepted. This notification pushes our communities into darkness.”
The samiti has demanded urgent amendments to the 4 Nov notification to include the 22 recommendations made by traditional fishermen and to issue a revised and just notification that ensures equity and sustainability in India’s fisheries. “If the central govt does not withdraw or amend this unjust and unsustainable notification, traditional fishermen across India will launch a nationwide protest,” warned Sanjay Koli, general secretary of the samiti. “We will burn copies of this notification along every coastal district. This is not just a protest — it is a fight for our survival.” The samiti further announced that coordination has already begun with traditional fishermen’s organisations from all 11 coastal states, and a nationwide agitation program will soon be declared.
Enforcing these Rules will be the hardest part. The effort is commendable, especially in prohibiting IUU and destructive fishing. However, concerns remain in areas such as the entry of conglomerates, regarding how far these Rules exclude the knowledge of traditional fishers, who have been venturing offshore long before the passage of these Rules.
This article examines the legality of the approach taken by the Draft Rules 2025 regarding penalties for contraventions and adjudication of the penalties. It does not seek to and it is not proposed to undertake a detailed examination of the entire scheme of the Draft Rules 2025 so as to examine its compatibility with the well settled principles regarding delegated legislation as well as its potential for regulating the exploration and exploitation and ensuring conservation & management of fisheries resources in Indian EEZ. (Jacob Joseph, Live Law)
Maharashtra battle to save Vadhavan port The project is going full steam ahead, despite strong resistance from the local fishing, farming and Adivasi communities. The move to build the Vadhavan Port started 30 years ago and these decades have seen fierce protests by local residents to highlight its potential impact on the lives of those living in this ecological sensitive region. Dahanu, one of the first taluka in the country to be notified as an “eco-fragile area”, is the only green belt between the polluted industrial areas of Vapi in Gujarat and Boisar in Mah.
Yet the port is only one among a slew of public infrastructure projects – a bullet train, freight corridor and an expressway – that will divert thousands of acres of land for construction work leaving its ecology fragmented. Multiple governments have tried to dilute the protection given to Dahanu to get these projects approved.
Port Development or Mass Destruction of Fisherfolk Livelihoods? At a Press Conference by Delhi Solidarity Group, fisherfolk from Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka shared how the massive port construction spree under the Sagarmala push threatens their fishing grounds, and may prove ‘genocidal’ for their livelihoods and way of life.
MoEF tells NGT star-rating for SEIAA ‘given up’ The Union environment ministry has “given up” on a star-rating system it had introduced in Jan 2022 to evaluate expert environmental bodies in states on their efficiency and promptness in granting prior environmental clearances to industry and infrastructure projects, according to an order by the NGT’s southern zone bench in Chennai. The fishermen’s association challenged the OM, stating it was arbitrary and risked diluting environmental scrutiny. Although the Centre claimed last year that the system had never been implemented, it defended the rationale behind it, maintaining that it aligned with the EIA process.
Manipur: ALAFUM underscores plight of Loktak fisherfolk On the occasion of World Fishery Day, the All Loktak Fishers Union Manipur (ALAFUM) underscored the plight of the fishing population of Loktak and others who are engaged in capture fishery. As a Union of fishing families of the Loktak lake, ALAFUM expressed concern that fisherfolk of Loktak are not treated as legal fisherpersons. The ALAFUM press note issued by secretary Rajen Oinam, underscored that the Fishery Department as well as the Loktak Development Authority (LDA) do not have proper data of the fishing population of Loktak till date. It accused the LDA of treating the fisherfolk as “occupiers”, and not as fishing families who have lived and fished at Loktak for generations.
Additionally, the press release said that the Fishery Department exists only for culture fishery (rearing and harvesting fish in small bodies of water) as those engaged in capture fishing at Loktak have not been provided with identity cards as fishers till date. Subsequently, they have been deprived of schemes, loans and other State facilities as fishers. This is because people who fish at Loktak are not considered as fishers, reasoned ALAFUM.
Odisha: Rivers, people losing out to energy ambitions As the state earns money from mining, farmlands turn to dust, and communities struggle to reclaim their rights. “They dump waste into our river, kill our fish, and no one stops them,” Rashminandan Sahu (27) said while pointing at the Bheden River in Malda village of Jharsuguda district. Satyanarayan Rao, president of the Anchalika Parivesh Suraksha Sangh in Jharsuguda, alleged that there is a critical threat to the Mahanadi river and the Hirakud Dam, a Ramsar wetland site, from unchecked industrial waste dumping, often within the prohibited 500-meter river buffer zone.
Jhelum, Wular under grave threat The Wular Fisherfolk Unionand Nature Conservation Alliance have raised an alarm over the accelerating ecological degradation of the Jhelum River and Wular lake, warning that without immediate and decisive interventions, these vital water bodies risk losing both their biological vitality and socio-economic significance. They have condemned the persistent government apathy and institutional neglect that have pushed the once thriving ecosystem to the brink of collapse. The recent mass mortality of snow trout across several stretches of Jhelum River have worsened the situation.
Assam FCC held meeting on river pollution The newly formed Fishery Coordination Committee (FCC), Dergaon, organized an awareness meeting on Dec 18, 2024 in connection with poisoning of the rivers Gelabeel and Kakodonga. Assistant commissioner cum chairperson of FCC Anwesha Thakur said that poisoning of the rivers has severely damaged the ecosystem. Several villagers, fishermen, and others attended the awareness meeting. It may be recalled that a public protest was staged recently over the poisoning of the rivers. The meeting also conducted free registration of fishermen, fish farmers, fish traders, and fish entrepreneurs under the National Fishery Development Program.
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