South Indian Federation of Fishermen Societies: Creating Sustainable Fisheries
Reaching out to about 60,000 fishermen and women, SIFFS aims at creating a sustainable fishery and a developed fishing community, through the protection and enhancement of livelihoods in marine fishing
SIFFS at a Glance
S IFFS was registered as an NGO in 1980 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, under the Travancore Literary, Scientific, and Charitable Societies Act of 1955. Its aim was to create “a sustainable fishery and a developed fishing community, through the protection and enhancement of livelihoods in marine fishing.” Today its area of operation extends over 12 districts in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, comprising 156 primary societies federated into five district federations. SIFFS is the apex body of a three-tier structure, with primary societies at the village level, and district and regional federations at the middle level. The services provided by SIFFS to its members include marketing of fish, boat making, out board motors (OBMs) sales and service, ice plants, providing credit, policy research and advocacy. It has a membership of 9,100 and reaches out to about 60,000 fishermen and women. Its financial partners include international donor organizations for grants and Indian Banks for credit. It has a credit portfolio of Rs 15 crores.
The Evolution of SIFFS
By virtue of possessing a 590-km-long coastline and bountiful resources of marine fish, Kerala is a major fish producing, consuming and exporting state in the country. The number of fishing households in the state has recorded an increase of 20 per cent between 1980 and 2005. Mechanization of fisheries in India during the 1950s and 60s has resulted in the growth of trawlers (that adversely affect the environment as well as the livelihoods of traditional or the artisanal fishermen) and other mechanized boats. Motorization, which began in the 1980s, has helped small fishermen improve their catch and competitiveness, without competing with the non-mechanized traditional fishing. The share of artisanal fishermen in the number of boats, fish catch and income has declined drastically whereas that of the mechanized sector has increased tremendously, over the years.