WORLD FISHERIES DAY (WFD) 21 NOVEMBER 2004 SOUVENIR National Fishworkers Forum of India (NFF) World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP) Velankanny Junction, Valiathura, Thiruvananthapuram-695008 India. Tel/Fax: (91) 471 2501376, Tel-2505216, Email:
[email protected],
[email protected], thomas.kocherry@gmail com, Web- www.wffp.org Cover Designing: C.D. Jain Printed at: St. Mary's Press, Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram Phone: 2446116 FOREWORD The National Fishworkers Forum (NFF) of India and the World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP) are very happy to publish a Souvenir on rhe occasion of the World Fisheries Day this year. We are also preparing for the General Assembly of the WFFP in KISUMU, Kenya from 21-27, November 2004. We are also preparing for rhe General Body of rhe NFF of India from 4-7 December, 2004 in West Bengal, India. It is in this context that we are publishing the reports of both the NFF and the WFFP. These two are valuable historical documents for our reference. We are going through an exercise to formulate a Global Fisheries Policy (GFP) in the light of the Objectives of the WFFP. A draft Fisheries Policy is included for discussion. World Fisheries Day is the occasion for all of us to reflect, workout a plan and act to bring about a change that we the fisher people are aspiring for. On World Fisheries Day we once again reiterate our stand: that we, the traditional, artisanal and small fisher people are the custodians of the water bodies, fish resources and we have the right for the first sale and distribution of the fish we catch.