PANJIM: Olencio Simoes, general secretary of the National Fishworkers Forum (NFF) and the Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) expressed his apprehension about the Sagarmala project as it will devastate livelihoods of traditional fishermen. He also accused the Government of India for failing to take measures to stop erosion of coastline and instead building new ports across the country. He was addressing the 8th General Assembly of World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP) at Brazil
As 16 rivers in the country are already drying from Ganga to Vaigai, Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra, Cauvery, Godavari, Krishna, Mahanadi, Pennar, Mahi, Tapi, Sabarmati and Narmada, Simoes pointed out that 42 per cent of the coastline is eroding rapidly. But instead of solving the problem, the Government of India is building more new ports in Maharashtra i.e. in Wadhwan; Vizhinjam port in Kerela, Karwar in Karnataka besides Mourmugao Port expansion plans in Goa.
The NFF general secretary further stated that the WTO agreement on fisheries subsidies could cut all subsidies given to fishers for boats, fuel, nets, ice plants, processing units etc but only could benefit China, which harvests around 1,19,43,625 tonnes, which is 14.71 per cent share of global marine catch and had around 5727081496 US and has estimated subsidies share of estimated global subsidies of 32.7 per cent. As compared to India, which had only 3.91 per cent of global marine catch i.e. 31,77,905 and 1 per cent of estimated subsidies share of estimated global subsidies.