GOA: The General Secretary of the National Fishworkers Forum (NFF), Olencio Simoes, along with K. Lakshmi, President of the Traditional Fish Workers Union and NFF Executive Member from Andhra Pradesh, will attend the World Forum of Fisher Peoples’ (WFFP) 8th General Assembly in Brasilia, Brazil, from November 14 to 21, 2024.
Olencio Simoes highlighted that the previous General Assembly, held from November 15 to 21, 2017, was hosted by the NFF in New Delhi and saw participation from 50 countries. He emphasized the significant role NFF leaders have played in establishing the WFFP, which was founded on November 21, 1997, in New Delhi. This date is now globally recognized as World Fisheries Day.
During the assembly, the NFF will address critical issues affecting small-scale fishers in India, including ocean grabbing linked to Blue Economy projects like the Sagarmala expansion, the impact of aquaculture, climate change challenges, women’s issues, cross-border disputes involving the arrest of Indian fishers by Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and concerns surrounding the WTO agreement on fisheries subsidies.
