Experts warn: “Fishing communities must not become datasets for corporate gain”
Maritime News, Mumbai, India: India’s marine sector is entering a digital future with the launch of the National Marine Fisheries Census 2025, inaugurated today by Maharashtra Ports & Fisheries Minister Nitesh Rane. Conducted fully online for the first time through the VYASNV digital system, the census will map 12 lakh fisher families, 568 villages, and 173 landing centers across India’s coastline.
Officials say this will help target policy better. But civil society and fishing unions are raising a pressing concern:
“Who controls this data — the government or corporations who eye our sea and shores?”
Promise of Better Welfare
With accurate digital data, fishermen could finally get:
- Faster access to insurance, subsidies, disaster relief
- Improved rights over fishing grounds
- Ports and landing centers upgraded to modern standards
- Youth skill development and livelihood security
The census aims to strengthen fisherfolk as essential blue economy contributors, not just beneficiaries.
But The Digital Net Has Holes
Activists warn of multiple risks:
Data Privacy & Surveillance Concerns
Fishermen fear their personal and livelihood information could be:
- Misused by private corporations
- Sold to third-party agencies
- Used to justify removal from coastal spaces
Unlike farmers, fisherfolk often lack legal documentation of their marine rights, making them vulnerable.
Technical System Failures
If data is corrupted or lost due to:
- System crashes
- Cyber-attacks
- Inadequate backups
…entire communities may vanish from welfare lists overnight.
Corporate Takeover of Coastal Resources
Large maritime projects — ports, SEZs, tourism — are rapidly expanding.
There is growing fear that:
Fisherfolk may be counted today, only to be displaced tomorrow.
Demands for Transparency
Community leaders insist that:
- Data must remain under strict government custody
- A legal guarantee is needed: No sharing with private corporations
- Census methodology must be publicly disclosed
- Fisher unions must have representation in monitoring data usage
- Security audits and backups must be mandatory
Marine researcher Dr. Vishwanath Dalvi warns:
“Digital enumeration is progress — but without data protection laws tailored for coastal communities, this becomes a threat.”
Inclusion Must Be More Than a Word
India boasts of 4 crore citizens dependent on fishing. Yet, many still:
- Lack safety infrastructure
- Are hit hardest by cyclones and oil spills
- Struggle against large mechanized trawlers
- Are losing access to traditional fishing zones
For them, data isn’t numbers — it’s survival.
Government Responds
Minister Nitesh Rane assured that the census aims to ensure:
- Stronger welfare delivery
- Policy guided by real ground needs
- Government-backed protection for livelihoods
“Fishermen are the custodians of our coast. Their welfare is our top priority.”
The Real Test
The success of this digital census will depend on whether it leads to:
- Better rights → Not eviction
- Empowerment → Not exploitation
- Protection → Not surveillance
India’s maritime future cannot be built without the fishing communities who have safeguarded its coasts for centuries.
