Harmful nets, chemicals destroying Keenjhar livelihoods
Business
May 5, 2021
HYDERABAD: After marine waters, some influential people have started using destructive fishing nets in Keenjhar Lake, threatening the livelihood of a large number of community people.
These small-eyed nets not only destroy available fish stock, mainly juvenile fish, but also ruin vegetation, where fish breed, local fishermen activists said.
Fishers in villages around the lake own about 1,700 fishing boats, of these 10-12 boats are equipped with harmful nets despite an official ban.
These harmful nets have a capacity to wipe out marine species, including juvenile fish and turtles in the area, and are a threat to the ecosystem.
Inland fisherfolk fear for living as licensing issues rock their boats
Business
January 10, 2021
HYDERABAD: Though the contract system for fishing in inland waters was replaced with licence system 12 years ago in 2008, there has been no relief for fisherfolk, who continue to face problems at the hands of allegedly non-cooperative as well as corrupt government officials.
Reports gathered from the community activists from different waters show that only 15-20 percent boats/helpers have licences, while the rest of the boat owners as well as helpers do not have licences.
Irshad Gandro, a community activist at Keenjhar Lake, said there were around 2,000 small fishing boats operating at this major water body, out of which hardly 20 percent boat owners had licences.