DNA Special: Away from political humdrum, issues of fishermen remain unheard in poll-bound Gujarat

Amid political buzz in poll-bound Gujarat, stories of some fishermen have been buried. Increasing plastic waste and pollution in the sea have created challenges in the lives of fishermen in Gujarat. A ground report based on the life of fishermen revealed their lives have become salty like the sea of Somnath.

The report showed the difficulties and challenges of those fishermen who fight against the waves and storms day and night to earn money for their livelihood. These fishermen go miles away every day to catch fish.

A boat catches 1-2 tonnes of fish on average in a day. But these fishermen are more afraid of inflation than of storms. The prices of diesel are increasing but the price of fish remains the same. That's why boats are shutting down, fishermen are leaving work. 

Exports to China have decreased after the Covid-19 pandemic. A fisherman said their boats are closing and lakhs of people have become unemployed. 

A fisherman, Ramesh, said, "The price of diesel is very high. That's why these boats are not able to run. 2,500 boats are not running. The cost of making a boat is 50 lakhs, but still, we are not able to run the boat, we do not get as much money as we spend."

READ | Sensing challenge from AAP, BJP goes full throttle in MCD poll campaigning for first time; big guns hit Delhi streets

Not only inflation, but the garbage present in the sea is also increasing the difficulties of these fishermen. According to statistics, about 15 million tonnes of garbage is thrown into the ocean every year in India. Fishes eat this plastic waste considering it as their food and lose their lives.

This means fish are decreasing in the ocean and plastic is increasing. Earlier, the number of fish that fishermen used to catch in two days is not available even in two weeks. In India, 67 percent of the total fishermen are small fishermen and due to rising inflation, it has become difficult for them to extract the cost.