Advancing Fisher Labour Welfare for a Resilient Blue Economy: ICAR-CIFRI Hosts Stakeholders’ Workshop under Samudra Sangam Initiative

April 2026 : The ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute hosted a dynamic “Stakeholders’ Workshop for Fisher Labour Welfare” on 10^th April, 2026 under the Samudra Sangam initiative of the ICAR-NASF project titled “The Changing Dynamics of Labour Migration on Employment, Livelihoods and Resource Productivity Patterns in Indian Marine Fisheries.” The workshop brought together key stakeholders to deliberate on issues related to fisher labour welfare, labour migration, and livelihood security in the marine fisheries sector.

Chairing the programme, Dr. Pradip Dey underscored that achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047 hinges on placing fisher labour welfare at the heart of India’s blue economy strategy. Addressing the participants, he highlighted key issues concerning fisher labour welfare and emphasized the integral role of fisheries institutions and KVKs in driving sectoral development. He further noted that empowered, skilled, and socially secure fisher communities will be the true catalysts in transforming aquatic resources into engines of sustainable growth and national prosperity, calling for seamless convergence of policy, practice, and people to ensure inclusive development.

The workshop witnessed rich deliberations from experts, including Heads of Divisions Dr. S. Samanta and Dr. S. K. Manna, while Dr. Aparna Roy engaged directly with fishers to capture ground-level challenges. Dr. Shyam S. Salim, joining virtually, shared key insights on labour dynamics, and Dr. Utpal Kumar Sar elaborated on state-led welfare schemes and institutional support mechanisms.

A total of 16 fishers from coastal hubs of Purba Medinipur , South 24 Parganas actively participated, contributing valuable field perspectives. The workshop also enabled the systematic collection of data on labour social standards, providing a foundation for evidence-based policy interventions to enhance socio-economic security and improve livelihoods.

Serving as a vital interface between stakeholders, the initiative reinforced the commitment to bridging grassroots realities with institutional frameworks, ensuring that fisher labour communities remain central to India’s journey toward a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable blue economy.