Fisherwomen holding placards on customary marine rights in Nagapattinam fish market on Monday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Mayiladuthurai fisherwomen staging a demonstration in Kuttiyandiyur in Tharangambadi on Monday.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Fisherfolk across 28 coastal villages in Mayiladuthurai, Karaikal, and Nagapattinam districts staged creative protests on Monday, drawing kolams in front of their homes and holding placards in solidarity with the second Conference of the Ocean Peoples (C-OP2), convened by the World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP) which emphasised customary marine rights.
The global online conference, themed “Defying Colonial Capitalism: Union for the Future of Earth and Oceans”, brings together over 10 million fisherfolk from 50 countries.
In Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the coordinated demonstrations spanned several villages. In Mayiladuthurai, fisher communities from Chandirapadi, Kuttiyandiyur, Vellakkoil, Perumalpettai, Pudupettai, Chinnangudi, Chinnamedu, Vanagiri, Poombuhar, Palaiyar, Kottaimedu, Thirumullaivasal, Chinnakottaimedu, and Thoduvai participated.
In Nagapattinam, solidarity events took place in Nagore, Samanthanpettai, Nambiyarnagar, New Nambiyarnagar, and New Kallar. Meanwhile in Karaikal, the protests were held in Mandapathur, Kalikuppam, Akkampettai, Kottucherrymedu, Kasakudymedu, Kilinjalmedu, Karaikalmedu, Karukkalacherry, and T.R. Pattinam.
The WFFP reaffirmed fishers’ customary marine rights, rejecting corporate-driven Blue Economy initiatives, calling for a halt to ocean privatisation, and demanding restitution of marine territories to coastal communities.
Published – June 09, 2025 08:22 pm IST
