New Delhi, Nov 22: The World Forum of Fish-harvesters and Fishworkers (WFFF) representing about 150 delegates from 32 countries marched towards parliament and presented a memorandum to the prime minister IK Gujral, demanding withdrawal of the Aquaculture Authority Bill (AAB) currently under consideration of the House.

WFFF stated that the fisher folk all over the world would no longer tolerate further depletion of marine resources by large corporate houses for mere profiteering and displacement of local fishermen from their livelihood. They stated that if the bill was passed in parliament it would not only affect the livelihood of large number of fishermen, but also the coastal inhabitants due to pollution caused in both inland and coastal waters and the surrounding soil. The great hope given by the recent landmark judgement of the Supreme Court will, therefore, be rendered void.

The WFFF which concluded its second world meet in Delhi on Friday, resolved to institutionalise into a permanent world body of fishermen and small scale fish-harvesters. They resolved to raise finances from internal resources than to depend on external funding which was likely to act as pressure tactics on forum's activities. The drafting of the constitution of the forum would be taken up soon. The WFFF elected Thomas Kocherry of India as its first chairman and formed an interin coordination committee.

Kocherry who has been selected for the prestigious Pew Award Fellowship of $ 150,000 intended to support marine conservation, refused to receive the award as he thought it might affect the fishworkers movement with which he is closely associated. Kocherry stated that Pew Foundation was instituted by the owners of Sun Oil Company which is noted as the largest polluter in US.He said that a polluter giving an award for marine conservation amounted to a contradiction.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.