Bhushan Pede, 59, a marine engineer, and his late father, Dr Vasudev G. Pede, from the Koli community in Mumbai broke away from their family occupation of fishing a few decades ago. Pede, however, remains deeply connected to the community’s struggles. “The fishing landscape has changed dramatically,” he said.
Dr Gajendra Bhanji, 75, moved away from fishing to pursue medicine. Talking about the changing fortunes of the fishing industry, he said: “We used to have manual boats with sails, not electric ones. We had huge hauls closer to land, filling entire boats with a wide variety of large fish.” In 1966, he entered medical school on his father’s insistence. His father’s fishing business began incurring losses from 1972 and eventually ceased operations. Dr Bhanji, whose children pursued medicine and marketing, continues to help the struggling Koli community as the Chairman of the National Association of Fishermen.
According to Dr Bhanji, the number of fishing boats that go out to the sea off the coast of Mumbai has dwindled from approximately 800 during his teenage years to a mere 50 today. “Young people prefer steady jobs after graduation, lacking the skills to develop and sustain themselves in this business,” said Dr Bhanji. “While many individuals may thrive by switching careers, our community’s traditional profession is disappearing.”
Sassoon Docks in south Mumbai. A large wholesale fish market has developed around the fishing dock, which was inaugurated in 1875. | Photo Credit: Priyamvada Mangal
According to Fishery Survey of India reports, between 2018 and 2023, India dropped from second position to third in fish exports. Dr Bhanji believes the decline could be related to environmental changes. India is the third largest producer of fish in the world, according to the 2022-23 annual report of the Department of Fisheries. But given the dipping income from fishing, its future looks uncertain, members of the community say.
The Koli fishing community has a 700-year history, going by official documents of the Maharashtra government. Older members of the community say that the new generation is avoiding fishing altogether, preferring education and corporate or government jobs.
Fishermen from the Koli community traditionally wore a distinctive attire consisting of a langot, jabba, and topi, reflecting their tribal heritage. The British government officially designated gazetted land in Mumbai for fishermen. The Koli community is matriarchal, with a tradition of worshipping goddesses such as Harbadevi, Sheetladevi, and Mumbadevi. It is a resilient and happy community, with low suicide rates. However, the city’s development over the years has not significantly benefited the community.
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“Previously, fisherfolk could get a good catch in the creeks. Now, due to pollution, they’re forced to venture deep into the sea,” said Pede. This shift does not just mean more labour and longer hours at sea; it necessitates larger boats, more ice, and exposes fishermen to greater risks.
Pranav Bhanji, 23, has completed his Bachelor of Management Studies and works at the airport as a customer service professional. He has no interest in fishing and is aware of the significant financial risks associated with it. “My family closed their fishing business 27 years ago when my father secured a job at Air India and my uncle obtained a government position; the size of the rest of the family is not enough to manage the business,” said Bhanji.
Mohit Ramle, 35, a Koli community member, comes from a family of freedom fighters. He is a youth leader and social media influencer. Ramle’s father was a doctor. “My grandfather had interests in various businesses beyond fishing. Additionally, the high investment requirements and risk ratio led the family to give up its shared fishing boat and fishing business,” Ramle said.
Highlights
- The Kolis are a fishing community in Maharashtra with a history that goes back to at least 700 years.
- Though many of them still venture into the sea off the coast of Mumbai, fewer of them now opt to stick to fishing.
- As environmental changes impact the catch near the coast and make fishing riskier, many of them drift off into other occupations.
Jayavanti Nandra Dhakle, 71, began selling fish at the age of 13. Married in her early 20s, she would wake at 3 am every day to purchase fish from Crawford Market and take the train to Versova, 33 km away, to sell by 5 am. “This profession helped me to raise my children, so it’s dear to me,” she said. “We used to sell fresh pomfret and often gave fish away for free as it was in excess. Now it’s so expensive that we can’t afford it ourselves. What we sold for Rs.100 then costs Rs.1,000 now.”
Her son Nilesh Dhakle, 44, is a photographer. “Back then, women in our community often earned more than men because they were more robust in the trade,” he said. His remembers his mother and aunt bringing in a large haul every day.
Malati Nirdhan Ragabhagat, 67, began selling fish at 14, after completing class IV. Married at 21, she raised her three children by selling fish. “Back then, one boat’s catch could feed 50 people,” Malati recalled. “Now, we hardly have any fish due to overfishing and methods like light fishing.” She explained why this was happening: “In the past, fish were plentiful near the coast, and there were fewer industries. Today, both industrial waste and sewage are dumped into the water, affecting the fish.”
The impact is stark. “In Versova alone, the number of fishing boats has plummeted from about 400 to barely 70,” said Pede. Some fishermen flout the ban on floodlight fishing out of desperation. “Arrests are made, but there are rarely serious consequences,” Pede said.
An abandoned fish market at Versova. | Photo Credit: Priyamvada Mangal
Ritesh Nakhawa, 48, a third-generation fisherman, abandoned his family’s fishing business in 2020. “My grandfather had progressed from a small boat to a trawler,” Nakhawa explained. “But now, the risks and costs outweigh the benefits.... Earlier, there were over 2,000 trawlers. Now, there aren’t even 200,” he said. The high costs of diesel, ice, and provisions for deep-sea fishing, coupled with uncertain catches, have made the profession increasingly unsustainable.
Environmental degradation plays a significant role in the industry’s decline. “India lags behind developed countries in environmental law enforcement,” Pede said. “Industrial waste, sewage, and plastic are dumped into the sea without filtration.” This pollution has made it impossible for fish eggs to survive in shallow waters and creeks as the water has become more acidic.
“Fish volumes have reduced due to drilling by oil companies like ONGC and BPCL. The vibrations from the drilling and other activities drive fish away. I spotted some Indian fish species in Korea last year,” Pede said. “Moreover, the seabed pollution affects the fish taste and their habitat, particularly in the breeding grounds near the coast.”
Ritesh Nakhwa also spoke of how environmental changes compound the challenges of fishing: “The concrete from the sea link, coastal road, and construction projects has driven fish into deeper waters.” The fishermen, forced to venture further out, sometimes end up crossing borders and face arrest.
Stalin D., an environmentalist with Vanshakti (an NGO), said the warming of coastal waters was “forcing fish to seek cooler environments in deeper seas”. This climate-driven migration creates a significant hurdle for small-scale fisherfolk. “These fishermen often lack the resources to venture into deeper waters.”
Fishing boats out in the sea, seen from Versova. | Photo Credit: Priyamvada Mangal
Sandeep Hegde, a sociology professor who has done research on the Koli community, said: “Mumbai’s original fishing inhabitants, the Kolis, face threats to their centuries-old way of life. Rapid urbanisation, commercial fishing, and environmental degradation have displaced their traditional practices. Economic challenges, cultural erosion, and marginalisation in policymaking further jeopardise their heritage. Preserving the Koli community’s unique identity and ensuring their sustainable future require inclusive policies and recognition of their historical significance to Mumbai.”
Low literacy rates and insufficient advocacy skills within the community mean fishermen often lack representation to fight for their cause.
Ranjana Narayan Gutlikar, 65, owned boats until 10-15 years ago when financial losses led her to sell them. Now, she buys and resells fish only on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Her late husband and in-laws used to fish in the creek. Her son, who has completed class X, is currently unemployed; he does not fish because of increased acidity in the sea caused by factories in Jogeshwari and Goregaon. His wife works as a house help.
Kaushalya Chahawala, 50, said her family owns a small boat. Her husband and son go out fishing. “But the hauls are very small now, sometimes not even covering our diesel costs,” she said. “Water pollution has driven fish deeper into the sea. We have to go 5 or 6 miles out now.” She said that only people owning big trawlers do well now as they can reach deeper waters where there is a chance for a bigger catch. To manage their household of three, Kaushalya relies on the wholesale fish market: “I participate in fish auctions, selling when I feel the price is right.”
“Fishermen used to pay the same diesel prices as luxury car owners. Though the government started subsidising diesel, the subsidies have been irregular for years,” said Dr Bhanji. “We now need mother boats to catch deep-sea fish beyond 50 metres. Instead of funding foreign trawlers, our local communities should be encouraged.”
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“The Ministry of Fisheries isn’t implementing schemes to develop the fishing community,” said Nakhwa. The fishing business operates seasonally, with the best catches from August to November. However, Nakhawa points out that “big players buy cheap and sell at exorbitant rates, and our community lacks the business acumen to negotiate better deals”.
The Koli community faces both external pressures and internal challenges. “Some young people from our community are trading ancestral land for quick money,” lamented Bhushan. Community leaders like Pede have established an NGO, Vesava Koli Mahila Samajik Sanstha, that is focussed on empowerment and land protection. “No land means no fishermen, no fishermen means no fish,” he emphasised. The NGO’s initiatives include plans for a seafood plaza and programmes to support Koli women, efforts it believes will help the community preserve its heritage while adapting to modern realities.
Priyamvada Mangal is an independent photographer and journalist. This story was produced with the help of the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The content is the sole responsibility of the author.
