The ongoing territorial conflict between fishermen of South Gujarat and Saurashtra came to a head late last week when hundreds of fishermen in Valsad abstained from fishing on Sunday, demanding the state government to intervene in the issue for a permanent solution.
These fishermen alleged that their counterparts from Jaffrabad and other parts of Saurashtra region were fishing in their area with the help of advanced equipment and causing loss to the fishermen of South Gujarat who lack facilities.
On the other hand, the fishermen of Jaffrabad called the allegations baseless and alleged that the fishermen of South Gujarat attacked them and robbed them of fish and expensive equipment.
On Sunday, fishermen from 10 villages of Umargam taluk in Valsad district gathered for a protest at Nargol port, where over 700 fishing boats were seen anchored off the shore. They alleged that the fishermen of Jaffrabad, Porbandar and other areas of Saurashtra had mistreated them, they had petitioned the authorities concerned several times but to no avail.
Nargol fishing community leader Shailesh Hodiwala said, “We have been engaged in fishing for generations. About a decade ago, the fishermen of Nargol and other neighboring coastal villages (in South Gujarat) reached a mutual understanding with the fishermen of Jaffrabad that they would do the fishing in their area and we would do it in ours. However, they only followed this for a year before reverting to their old ways.
He further said, “Now they are doing box fishing by entering nine nautical miles in the sea of Valsad. Their boats are advanced and equipped with the latest technology, carrying 12 to 15 crew members at a time. On the other hand, our boats are simple and carry about six people at a time.”
Box fishing is a phenomenon in which fishing nets tied with plastic pipes are lowered into seawater for several days. Hodiwala said, “We don’t get a place for ourselves as we are doing box fishing on their behalf. Even our webs break down. They are outnumbered and we cannot fight them…we are deprived of our livelihood. “
Manish Tandel, chairman of the fishing community of Lodhari village, neighboring Nargol, said, “Nowadays, we are afraid to go deep into the sea alone and only go out in groups of 15-20 boats. Due to the presence of corals and other marine species in the coastal area of Valsad, various species of fish such as Bombay Duck, Pomfret, Lobsters, etc. are found here in abundance. These fish are in high demand in restaurants in Maharashtra and Gujarat and are also exported abroad. We request the collector and the government to intervene in this matter and both sides come up with a formula for fishing in their respective areas. “
Sources from the fishing community of Nargol said that this year, fishermen from Jaffrabad and Valsad have run into each other in the sea almost five times. Sometimes, the fishermen loot the cache on the other side and make a quick escape, they added. Incidents of stone pelting and clashes also took place, sources said.
Kanaiyalal Solanki of the Jaffrabad Boat Association said, “Their fishermen beat up our colleagues in the deep sea and even steal our fish with fishing nets. We are ready to compromise but we do not agree with their demand of occupying 50 percent of the land.” On the charge of box fishing, he said, “Box fishing is not illegal; This is done by fishermen from different states.”
Last month, a fisherman from Jaffrabad lodged a police complaint against suspected unidentified fishermen in Valsad, alleging that on November 9 his boat was pelted with stones by some men who threatened him against fishing in the area. The Porbandar Marine Police has started an investigation into the incident. No one has been arrested yet.
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