64480 Report of the GOI – World Bank State Consultation on Indian Marine Fisheries Sector Study Andhra Pradesh Key Findings and Recommendations AFPRO, 25/1A, Institutional Area, D Block, Pankha Road, Janak Puri, New Delhi 110058 Report of Government of India – World Bank State Consultation on Indian Marine Fisheries Sector Study Andhra Pradesh DATE : 27th October 2008 VENUE: Fisheries Survey of India, Beach Road, Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh AFPRO Action for Food Production Contents Contents................................................................................. i Executive Summary .............................................................. 2 Report of the Consultation .................................................... 4 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 4 Synopsis of Proceedings ................................................................................................. 4 Issues Raised During the Consultation ........................................................................... 5 Summary Recommendations from the Consultation ...................................................... 7 Annexure 1 - List of Participants ........................................... 9 Annexure 2 - Schedule........................................................ 12 Executive Summary The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, and the World Bank collaborated on organizing a series of four State Level Consultations during the period 27 October 2008 to 3 November 2008 in the coastal states of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Karnataka and Orissa. The one day events were conducted for ratifying findings of the GOI – World Bank Indian Marine Fisheries Sector Study, a study undertaken to identify the ways forward for Indian marine fisheries so as to propel it onto a path of high and sustainable growth. The Fisheries Survey of India, located on the Vishakapatnam beach front, close to the fishing harbour, was the venue of the first State Consultation. A large number of 63 people participated in the workshop, and these included a number of fishers(representing the mechanized and non-mechanized producer groups, traditional fish processors, traders and commission agents), local NGO representatives, and academic and research agencies. Mr. Venkatesh Salagrama, consultant to FAO of the UN, Dr. Derek Staples, and Dr. Ramana Rallapudi, consultants to the World Bank, comprised the World Bank team. Mr. Venkatesh Salagrama introduced the study and purpose of the consultation. Subsequently, the study findings were presented through a set of four presentations divided into 2 sessions. The pre-lunch session carried the topics “Overview of Indian Marine Fisheries� and “Livelihood Issues in the Marine Fisheries Sector�, while the post lunch session comprised “Ways Forward� and “Global Best Practices in New Zealand�. Group discussions lasting an hour followed the theme presentations in each session, which were rounded off with each group presenting its viewpoints. Mr. K Sivaprasad, AFPRO and Mr. Venkatesh Salagrama made the presentations in Telugu, the state language, to ensure full participation by the fishers in the consultation process. A vociferous and articulate atmosphere pervaded the hall throughout the group sessions. A lot of work seems to have been done by NGOs in the region, and the fishers have a grasp over the issues that they are faced with. Access and user rights of fishers to coastal areas and marine resource base, special privileged rights to small scale and traditional fishers, as well as inequitable policy implementation in favour of the mechanized trawlers were raised as crucial issues. On a contrasting note, the negative impact of increased competition on poor fishers, middlemen eating away on fisher margins, and increasing social disharmony due to enhanced competitiveness together with decline and uncertainly in fish catches were clearly articulated. Work related difficulties such as lack of infrastructure for storage, processing and marketing, increasing cost of fuel, lack of timeliness in distribution of subsidies, inadequate efforts to address migration, social security and work-environment security, especially when at sea, were put forth unambiguously by the groups. They also laid clear demands of the State government, like the adoption of participative approaches by the State in the management of fishing harbours, Fisheries to have a clear line of command from the Fisheries department alone and not multiple departments like Environment and GOI – World Bank Andhra Pradesh State Consultation 2 Forests, better monitoring and control over incursion by foreign and interstate fishing vessels over the territorial waters of Andhra Pradesh, and curbing pollution. Discussions in the second session were equally energetic. There was a clear acceptance of the study findings and recommendations regarding the need for urgent reform of the sector and the approach thereto. Co-management as the way forward was well appreciated – however concerns were also expressed regarding the equality of partnership within the system of co-management once adopted. A suggestion was also made to seek approval of all policy related matters from Village Gram Sabhas. GOI – World Bank Andhra Pradesh State Consultation 3 Report of the Consultation Introduction The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture of Government of India, approached the World Bank to conduct a Study on Indian Marine Fisheries. Accordingly, a team from the World Bank was undertook the study with special emphasis on marine fisheries in four coastal States viz. Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Karnataka, and Gujarat. A National Study Report titled “Indian Marine Fisheries Sector Study� was prepared based on the findings of information generated from field visits, secondary data available with various agencies and intensive study of sectoral performance, issues and ways to improve growth of all stakeholders. In a final step taken to ratify and seek consensus regarding the findings and recommendations of the study, State Level Consultations were held in all four states included in the study, and key issues and analyses placed before state level stakeholder representatives. The consultations were collaborative initiatives of the World Bank, the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India and Action for Food Production (AFPRO), a National NGO identified for the process. Synopsis of Proceedings The Fisheries Survey of India, located on the Vishakapatnam beach front, close to the fishing harbour, was the venue of the first State Consultation. A large number of 63 people participated in the workshop, and these included a number of fishers(representing the mechanized and non-mechanized producer groups, traditional fish processors, traders and commission agents), local NGO representatives, and academic and research agencies. Mr. Venkatesh Salagrama, consultant to FAO of the UN, Dr. Derek Staples, and Dr. Ramana Rallapudi, consultants to the World Bank, comprised the World Bank team. Mr. Venkatesh Salagrama introduced the study and purpose of the consultation. Subsequently, the study findings were presented through a set of four presentations divided into 2 sessions. The pre-lunch session carried the topics “Overview of Indian Marine Fisheries� and “Livelihood Issues in the Marine Fisheries Sector�, while the post lunch session comprised “Ways Forward� and “Global Best Practices in New Zealand�. Group discussions lasting an hour followed the theme presentations in each session, which were rounded off with each group presenting its viewpoints. Mr. K Sivaprasad, AFPRO and Mr. Venkatesh Salagrama made the presentations in Telugu, the state language, to ensure full participation by the fishers in the consultation process. GOI – World Bank Andhra Pradesh State Consultation 4 Issues Raised During the Consultation Session I: Overview of Marine Fisheries and Livelihood Issues 1. Recognition of the fishers’ rights – access and user rights - to the coastal areas and marine resources while considering any development initiative. Traditional and small scale fishers’ rights need to specially recognized. 2. The quantitative data in the first presentation reflect on key trends affecting the sector. 3. Migration – geographical and occupational – an important trend and must be reflected adequately in the study and its recommendations 4. Small-scale sector not receiving due attention in the development policies. Government policies are seen to favourable to certain sections of fishers such as mechanized trawlers. 5. Competition within and between different supply chains affecting the poor. 6. Intermediaries play a major role in fish trade cutting in on margins. Appropriate marketing facilities with opportunities for direct sale are required. 7. Decline in fish catches is a cause of concern. However a greater cause of worry is the issue of uncertain and fluctuating catches and prices affects the profitability of operations more – lack of cold storage and other facilities to hold on to the fish for a better price 8. Availability of fish varies and fluctuates across different fishing zones, and in some case is uncertain. 9. Identity cards to the fishers 10. Access to basic infrastructure low, but lower for marginalised people like women – gender-specific facilities at the markets not available 11. Better market facilities with adequate transport facilities to markets are much required 12. Mini fishing harbours and market outlets could be provided at each district 13. Conflicts arising out of few opportunities within the communities leading to social disharmony 14. Increasing value of real estate in coastal areas restricts access to the fishers to the main roads and markets 15. Traditional use and access rights ignored 16. Special attention for weaker and vulnerable groups like single women, aged people, people incapacitated during fishing and destitute necessary 17. Moving out into other activities seen as encroachment of the rights of other traditional groups 18. All fishing taking place within a small area by different fishing systems, reducing profitability and increasing conflicts 19. Cost of fuel has been going up with international trends. At the same time the decline in oil prices globally is not reflected in the local prices. 20. Exporters are the beneficiaries of various subsidy and promotion schemes of the GOI but the actual producers don’t get the benefit of the schemes. 21. Subsidies might be available, but they seldom are timely – subsidies are not linked to the needs of the fishers and the time of need for the support GOI – World Bank Andhra Pradesh State Consultation 5 22. All schemes devised at a high level and confined to very few people randomly selected, and tend to be short-term and one-off 23. Management of the fishing harbours – Port Department does not like the fishers and fishing and always comes up with ideas to evict fishers from the area; which is the reason why they don’t undertake adequate maintenance and management. 24. Dry fish processing facilities don’t exist – leading to large scale unhygienic processing and economic losses 25. Cold Chain still a long way off 26. Too many departments dealing with the sector – various departments harass the producers and processors in taking the fish from the landing centres to the markets or to the processing areas – single-window system that reflects the needs of the fishers in a comprehensive manner lacking 27. Coastal pollution from sources such as effluents from factories, is a major issue of concern. 28. Emergency help at sea is fraught with long delays as numerous intermediaries are currently involved in passing the message to the Coast Guard. 29. Support during the ban period should also be extended to the cyclone period when the fishers cannot go fishing. 30. Cyclone period – entering the ports in other states (esp Orissa) not allowed 31. Coastal Marine Fisheries Development Agency to be set up 32. Cage culture and sea ranching 33. Allocation of fishing rights to fishing grounds to different fishing systems to reduce conflicts 34. Foreign trawler encroachment into Indian waters – fishing at the expense of local fishers 35. Awareness of rights and responsibilities – programme for the fishers to contribute better to the policy and implementation processes 36. Miniscule role for fisheries in the decision-making processes at the political level 37. Information regarding government initiatives and notices is not easily available to the fishers 38. Existing laws such as CRZ and MFRA need to be better implemented 39. The scope of existing savings and relief fund needs to the expanded 40. Social security measures such as support for old people, destitute and widows, fishers incapacitated during work, and insurance facilities. Assistance provided during the ban period of 60 days should be extended to cover the lean period also 41. The reach of schemes such as providing life-saving appliances, GPS and VHF remains uneven and should be made accessible to all boats registered under the FRA Act. Session II: Ways Forward and Global Best Practices 1. The marine fisheries sector is in a weak condition and needs to developed through a process of reform. The recommended way forward will help address the problems adequately. 2. Fishers and their livelihoods need to be understood better at the national and state levels. Hence processes for policy formulation and decision-making need to GOI – World Bank Andhra Pradesh State Consultation 6 provide for participation of fishers or fisher representations, especially those of small and traditional fishers. A manner of validating fishery policies by seeking their approval from Village Gram Sabhas could be adopted. 3. Implementation issues equally important as policy issues and require sincerity, commitment and honesty on the part of all stakeholders 4. Fishers should be provided recognized access and user rights to marine wealth in terms of the fish, the sea in which to fish and land where they live. 5. Co-management is the way forward provided equal partnership is ensured. Fishers should be full participants in the development and management process. 6. Need to reduce the number of nets being used, limit the fleet size and reduce indiscriminate fishing. At the same time outsiders should be prevented from entering the sector. 7. Alternative income generating opportunities for fishers should be explored. 8. Need for a detailed study on pollution in the coastal environment and ways to combat it 9. Efforts to reduce bycatch, and avoid catching low value, undersized, juvenile species, together with a ban on capture of depleting species, have to be made. Periodic limits need to placed on fishing at specified areas. At the same time efforts need to be put in to improve depleting stocks by sea ranching. Summary Recommendations from the Consultation 1. The fishers agree that India's fisheries are in a weak state and need urgent reform - they agreed with the study's analysis of the factors contributing to the poor performance of the sector especially in supporting the livelihoods of the poor. 2. Many fishers also perceive that while the status of fisheries varies from place to place, the uncertainties and fluctuations in catches and the prices, and rising costs, affect the profitability of operations more. 3. The fishers believe that they have a significant role to play in the policy reform process and that they need to be involved in the decision-making processes more actively. 4. Most significantly, the fishers see the need for reform in their own ways of managing, exploiting, and distributing fishery wealth: the need for self-regulation has been emphasised many times by the different groups. 5. The fishers argue that a rights-based approach to fisheries management – recognising and ensuring the small-scale fishers’ rights to the fish, to the sea where they fish and the coast where they live – would be the most important step forward. 6. There exist, and have existed from a long time, strong and indigenous mechanisms for fisheries management which do reflect the concerns as well as the approaches of the current fisheries management systems; however, these tend to be rather localised and not well understood in policy terms. There is a need to build these into the current management programmes GOI – World Bank Andhra Pradesh State Consultation 7 7. In order for the fishers to contribute more confidently to the policy reform and also to improve their own ways of doing things, there is a need for a coordinated and well-orchestrated campaign of capacity building aimed at different categories of stakeholders. At the same time, the government should also recognise the contribution that the fishers can make to the reform process and ensure to treat them as equals in the process. 8. The fishers accept reform as a long term process – however, the reform process should define its goals into immediate, mid-term and long-term, so appropriate action can be initiated to address the issues in stages rather than wait for a long time to see the end results of the reform process. 9. There is a need to focus more on the impacts of externalities (industrialisation and other developments in the coastal, near-shore and offshore areas) which have an increasing impact on the performance of the sector as well as on the livelihoods of the fishers. Reform in fisheries policy by itself is unlikely to improve conditions unless a more integrated approach to deal with the various factors (and their attendant policy processes) is taken. The mechanisms for making this happen will need some thought. 10. Rethinking the incentive process: More nuanced understanding of the subsidy issues - there are some contributing to the unhealthy fishing practices and so forth, but there are others that contribute to the wellbeing of the poor; the 'good' subsidies must be segregated from the 'bad' subsidies and suitable action initiated to discourage one while encouraging more support for the other. The 'good' subsidies also include support for people to move out into other occupations. A few recommendations for improving the study: 1. Migration, which has been the norm in many fishing communities and is increasing over the years, has to be recognised as a fact of life and the need for suitable policy measures to systematise the process and to protect the rights of the migrants should be highlighted. 2. Social security measures, as they exist now, are mostly inappropriate, inadequate and inaccessible - the needs of the aged people, single women, destitutes, people with deformities (often incurred while fishing) will need to be better reflected for more pro-active support to these people. 3. Gender issues - especially those related to women - in terms of access to basic services and resources needs to be highlighted more. 4. The policy analysis to include how fisheries policies by different Ministries/ Departments interact and conflict with one another. GOI – World Bank Andhra Pradesh State Consultation 8 Annexure 1 - List of Participants Name of S.N Organization Participant 1 G .Srihari ARDAR, Vishakapatnam Chodipalli 2 Mahalakshmi Chodipalli 3 Masanamma Fishers from Kondapalem Street, Village Pudimadaka, Achutapuram Block, Vishakapatnam District 4 G . Dhanamma 5 M .Bangaruthalli 6 Dhana Raju 7 Ch .Kota 8 M .Muthyalamma 9 M . Ramana Babu Ummadi Dharma 10 Raju Fishers from Kadapalem Street, Village Pudimadaka, 11 Chodipalli Yerinaidu Achutapuram Block, Vishakapatnam District Yeripally 12 Venkataswamy Yeripally 13 Bhanuprasad 14 Doni Jagadish 15 Koviri Korlaiah D F Y W A, Pedagantyada, Vivekanananda Bhavan, 16 Perla Appa Rao Vishakapatnam 17 Orupula Ramesh T F S Members from Village Pedduru, Pudimadaka PO, Yeripally Appala Achyutapuram Block, Vishakapatnam District 18 Raju Fishermen’s Foundation, Village Pedaguntyada, 19 Ayolli Nukaraju Gangavaram, Vishakapatnam 20 Ganagalla Ravi Pilupu Swatchandasevasamsta, Srikakulam 21 K Suramma Associate Professor & Head, Dept. of Marine Living 22 Dr. K .Umadevi Resources, Andhra University, Vishakapatnam GOI – World Bank Andhra Pradesh State Consultation 9 Name of S.N Organization Participant 23 Arjilli Dasu Fisher Folk Foundation, Pedagantyada, Vishakapatnam Fisheries Technologist, Fisheries Survey of India, 24 K S N Reddy Vishakapatnam 25 P Kaladharan C M F R I, Vishakapatnam Regional Officer & Consultant, South India 26 S B Sarma Federation of Fishermen Society(SIFFS) A P, Kakinada 27 M Vishnu SIFFS, Kakinada General Secretary, United Fisheries Association, BCV 28 B L Narasimha Raju Pallykorancy PO, East Godavari District Forum for Integrated Rural Management 29 M . Srirama Murthy (F I R M), Kachigudda, Hyderabad Sr. Fisheries Scientist, Fisheries Survey of India, 30 Dr. S K Nayak Vishakapatnam 31 M Nageshwar Rao Chengalraopet, Vedapatasala, Viserchapet 32 Kola Guruvulu Reklliveedhi, Vishakapatnam 33 Marupalli Nukaraju Ganganna Nagar, Kancharla Palem, Vishakapatnam Chodipally Sathyanarayana General Secretary, VDPW Association, Fishermen 34 Harbour, Vishakapatnam Murthy 35 B Srinivas MVP Colony, Vishakapatnam 36 G Ravi Shankar Chinna Waltair, Vishakapatnam 37 S Sunil Kumar Reddy, Kancharla palem, Vishakapatnam 38 K Gurucharan Tekkali, Vishakapatnam 39 Y Madhava Rao Churusuraopet, Vishakapatnam 40 U Sreedhar C I R T , Ocean View Layouts, Vishakapatnam Chief Editor Fisheries, M V P Colony 41 J V S Dixitulu Vishakapatnam 42 Ch Ammoru Kotha Agraharam, Vishakapatnam Vice – President, Dolphin Boat Operators Welfare 43 D Ganga Raju Association, Vishakapatnam 44 B .Mosonu Gadipuram, Vishakapatnam 45 N S R K Prakash Kotha Jilan Pet, Vishakapatnam GOI – World Bank Andhra Pradesh State Consultation 10 Name of S.N Organization Participant 46 K . Nooka Raju Town Area, Godhi Bank, Vishakapatnam 47 K . Bhaskar Rao Changalrao Pet, Vishakapatnam 48 M . Harish Rao R T O, C/ O Fishery Survey of India, Vishakapatnam. 49 Ch . Appiyotamma 50 K . Ramulamma 51 B Yellamma Chopala Thimmannapuram, Bhimli Mandal, 52 M . Sattamma Vishakapatnam 53 V . Paradeshamma 54 V . Chinnadurgamma 55 A . Nookalamma Fishermen’s Foundation, Village Pedaguntyada, 56 Ayolli Nukaraju Gangavaram, Vishakapatnam 57 Ganagalla Ravi Pilupu Swathandasevasamsta, Srikakulam Mr. Venkatesh 58 Consultant FAO of the UNO Salagrama 59 Dr Derek Staples Consultant, World Bank 60 Dr Ramana Rallapudi Consultant, World Bank 61 Mr K Sivaprasad Unit Manager, AFPRO Field Unit VI, Hyderabad 62 Dr Pranaya Parida AFPRO Task Force, Bhubaneswar 63 Mr. Sunil Augustine AFPRO Head Office, New Delhi. GOI – World Bank Andhra Pradesh State Consultation 11 Annexure 2 - Schedule Schedule for Andhra Pradesh State Consultations 10:00-10:30 • Opening remarks • Introducing the study Session I: Overview of marine fisheries 10:30-11:15 • Current status of marine fisheries – AFPRO with technical performance and issues support from Derek Staples, • Livelihood issues in the marine Venkatesh Salagrama, fisheries sector Ramana Rallapudi 11:15-11:30 Coffee break 11:30-13:00 Plenary/Group discussion Facilitated by: AFPRO, DOF, Derek Staples and Venkatesh Salagrama 13:00-14:00 Lunch Session II: Ways forward 14:00-14:45 • Key recommendations from the AFPRO with technical national report and ways forward for support from Derek Staples, implementing the reform process Venkatesh Salagrama, • Global best practices – New Zealand Ramana Rallapudi 14:45-15:00 Coffee Break 15:00-16:30 Plenary/Group discussion Facilitated by: NGO, DOF, Derek Staples, Venkatesh Salagrama, Ramana Rallapudi 16:30-17:00 Plenary: • Summary of workshop recommendations • Concluding remarks GOI – World Bank Andhra Pradesh State Consultation 12