Fisherwomen at the first International Fisherwomen’s Day function in Mumbai on November 5, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Vinaya Deshpande Pandit
Maharashtra fisherwomen are planning to write to President Droupadi Murmu seeking coastal rights Bill for all the coastal villages of India, and heritage site status for the ethnic fisherfolk colonies.
A resolution regarding the issue was passed during the celebration of the first International Fisherwomen’s Day in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Fisherwomen from over 40 countries participated in the events to mark the day.
Role and struggles
World Forum for Fisherpeople, National Fishworkers Forum, Maharashtra Macchhimar Kruti Samiti and Daryawardi Mahila Sangh organised a programme in Mumbai to highlight fisherwomen’s roles, struggles and rights.
“I stay in the coastal region of Maharashtra. Our traditional rights have come under threat today. For centuries, we have fished and settled on the coasts, protecting the coastline. But today, our land is being grabbed under Slum Redevelopment Authority (SRA). Our rights are being snatched away,” said the draft letter to the President.
It also demanded in situ rehabilitation done with cultural sensitivity.
Seeking the reimplemention of the 2011 Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification, the fisherwomen have also sought the scrapping of the notification for CRZ 2019. Under the 2011 CRZ notification, the fishing colonies are protected under CRZ III.
The letter demanded that the fisherfolk colonies be notified as heritage sites in the development plans and CRZ regulations. “Community-based tourism should be encouraged through homestays, food courts, houseboats, cultural walks etc. Women’s self-help groups should be supported,” the letter stated.
“We fisherwomen will write postcards to the President,” said Ujjwala Kiran Koli.
She said there was a need for a dedicated “coastal rights Bill” for coastal villages in India, to comprehensively address the traditional and land rights of the fisher communities.
Speaking about the issues faced by the fisherwomen, Rajshri Bhanji from Marol Bazar said, “Fisherwomen face so much humiliation while carrying out the traditional work. Our markets are being shut down, builders want to take away our land which we have traditionally used to park our boats, dry the fish. The government should protect us,” she said.
She also called for a protest to protect their land and livelihood. “We voted in the name of Lord Ram. But what we have got instead is Ravan rajya. The government does not protect our traditional rights, does not listen to us. We warn you that if you don’t pay heed to the demands of the original inhabitants of this land, we will not vote for you in the upcoming elections,” said Ms. Kiran Koli of Maharashtra Koli Samiti.
Published – November 06, 2025 01:14 pm IST
