Fisheries is an important source of food, nutrition, employment and income in India. The sector provides livelihood to about 16 million fishers and fish farmers at the primary level and almost twice the number along the value chain. Recognising the importance of the sector, an independent Department of Fisheries was created in 2019 to provide sustained and focused attention towards the development of the fisheries sector. The fish production in India has registered an average annual growth rate of more than seven per cent in recent years. The sector has been one of the major contributors of foreign exchange earnings with India being one of the leading seafood exporting nations in the world.
In recent years, the number of policy shifts that have taken place in India especially on the environmental front is quite alarming when looked at from the perspective of the natural resource-dependent communities. The latest being the Indian Marine Fisheries Bill 2021. In this context, it is essential that the information for the fishworkers regarding their livelihood and the cost to the environment needs to be percolated to the ground. This makes it essential to build a support group which will be informed, aimed at assisting the fishworker organizations in building up perspectives, shoulder to shoulder in addressing the issues of the coast, environment and livelihood through an engagement with the research and policy matters related to the coast and environment.
What is Youth for the coast?
Youth for the Coast hosted its first national workshop as a six day training programme in Goa which was attended by 22 youngsters from various fields who work or are keen to work on various aspects of the ocean and coast in India.
The second workshop was held in Tamil Nadu – Puducherry which was attended by mid-career practitioners/ activists to develop their understanding of ocean and coastal issues and extend solidarity and support to people’s movements and organisations. This was the regional workshops for young activists based out of Tamil Nadu or people who are keen on working in Tamil Nadu.
Further we held a national workshop in West Bengal – Kolkata which was attended by 19 youth and mid-career practitioners from various fields who immersed themselves in learning about the ocean, coastal communities and policies.
Objectives:
1. To create a fundamental understanding of ocean and coast as an ecological system that supports livelihoods of people engaged in the small-scale fisheries sector.
2. To develop an understanding of how the dynamics between ecology, socio-economic and socio-political aspects of the ocean and coast are linked.
3. To introduce basic history of fisheries development in India and the narrative of struggle from people’s movements to contextualise discussions on present challenges focussing on Coastal areas.
4. To give an overview of how law, policy, and governance of the ocean and coast are structured and are changing under the Blue Economy
5. To collate and expand on the coastal issues and understand the history and working of coastal movements in India.
This is the fourth workshop.
Programme
After the three workshops on Youth for the Coast at Goa, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, the fourth phase of Youth for the Coast will be a six-day residential course for the selected participants that will equip them with information and resources that confront the complex socio-ecology of land and water. During this course participants will also engage in peer-to-peer learning, participate in field visits, engage with community leaders, academics and activists currently working on coastal issues to create their own chosen project/intervention they would like to design and implement. The participants will also be introduced to movements/organizations, working with the coastal communities to facilitate understanding of fishworkers regarding the policy shifts happening in their areas which will help them respond at the local, regional and national level.
Who can apply
Fishworkers, youth from coastal communities, researchers, media practitioners, interested in engaging with the issues of coast, primarily from the nine coastal states from the Western and Eastern Coasts: Gujarat, Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal.
Age limit: 18-35 years
Language: Primarily English; Interpretation will be provided for whoever is not comfortable with English.
Contribution: This programme is free of cost. However, the shortlisted participants are expected to submit a refundable amount of Rs. 2000/-. However, we urge applicants to not let money get in the way of applying. Please write to us for a waiver. (Please note: Contribution waiver will be offered only to people from marginalized groups and persons from non-funded social, political or students’ movements)
Health Instructions: Any participant attending this workshop needs to produce an RTPCR negative certificate not more than 72 hours on arrival or a vaccination certificate. The workshop will be conducted maintaining the Covid-19 safe protocols:, proper ventilation, intermittent sanitation will be ensured for the participants, resource people and staff at the venue.
Dates:
Day of Arrival – 24th July 2022 evening / 25th July 2022 before 9 am
Programme Days – 25th July – 30th July 2022
Day of Departure – 30th July 2022 night / 31st July 2022 before 10 am
Travel: Participants are expected to make their own arrangements to arrive in Kerala on the 24th July 2022 and depart on the 31st July 2022. We request participants to make their arrangements via train (sleeper/third AC) /bus as far as possible. Travel expenses of upto a maximum of INR 5500 upon submission of original bills/tickets will be reimbursed.
Venue: Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram
How to apply:
To apply for the Youth for the Coast programme, kindly fill in this application form: https://tinyurl.com/Y4CinKerala
Last date: 10th July 2022 by 5 PM
Contact: Write to [email protected] / [email protected] for any queries regarding the programme.
I am interested..
Hi Abhijeet, kindly go through the details and apply using the given link.
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