After milk fish is the largest source of animal protein for the people of India. But fish Vendors are a neglected lot. The government hesitates even to recognise them as fish workers and do almost nothing for them. Without the fish retailers the fishers or fish farmers would not get the money for the fish produced by them. Without the bewilderingly wide and efficient network of fish vendors the 80 million fish eating citizens of this country would not get fish in the markets or even at their doorsteps. More than 3 million people are engaged in fish retailing and no less than 70% of them are women. Thus small scale fish vending plays a major role in maintaining food security, nutrition, employment and gender balance in occupation in our society. At the call of Dakshinbanga Matsyajibi Forum (DMF) more than 200 fish vendor representatives from 6 districts of West Bengal assembled at Kanthi on 22nd December 2017 to discuss and workout together the ways and means to address the age old neglect and deprivation experienced by them. The coastal fish vendors union of the district of East Midnapore hosted the meeting. Fraternal organisations, both from West Bengal and outside participated in the meeting to encourage the fish vendors. Notable among them have been the National Hawkers’ Federation and Odisha Matsyajibi Forum. Veteran trade union leader and President of Jangalmahal Matsyajibi Forum Soumen Ray presided over the meeting. Debasis Shyamal, Vice President of DMF and Secretary of NFF coordinated the meeting. The meeting started with inaugural song by Harekrishna Baul Sampraday. Sujoy Jana, President of Medinipur Zila Upokuliya Matsya Vendor Union welcomed the participants. He briefly narrated the history of the union that was born through a struggle of fish vendors and has today grown to a more than 4,000 member strong organisation. He stated that the state level conference of fish vendors had become necessary for building up the united strength of fish vendors to achieve their rights. Inline image 5 After the welcome address Certificates for Cultural Performance at the WFFP GA7 in Delhi were handed over to the members of the Harekrishna Baul Sampraday. ‘Small Scale Fish Vendors : Right to Livelihood – Pledge to Unite’, a pamphlet in Bengali published by DMF on the occasion, was released by Achintya Pramanik, veteran leader of fish vendors Next, Pradip Chatterjee, President of DMF, in his address did set the context of the meeting by first stating the important role played by the small fish vendors in our society towards food security, maintenance of nutritional status and employment together with gender balance in occupation. He then mentioned the neglect and deprivation commonly experienced by the fish vendor community. He placed the following demands for protection and enhancement of the life and livelihood of fish vendors – * National Policy for Fish Vendors; * Recognition of occupational dignity through issuance of government identity cards for every fish vendor; * Low interest bank loan for fish vendors; * Transport facilities from fish collection points to fish markets; * Fish markets with proper facilities; * Cold boxes and cold storage for fish preservation; * Modern weighing machine and trey to sell fish; * Savings-cum-Relief scheme and allowance during no-fishing period for coastal fish vendors; * Scope to form fishermen cooperatives for socio-economic upliftment of fish vendors; * Social security schemes for fish vendors; * Priority for women fish vendors; * Stopping harassments and fleecing of fish vendors by anti-socials and musclemen; He also mentioned Governance Rights for fish vendors to – * Participate in management and control of fish auction process at fish landing centres on the coast and fish depots; * Determine and maintain transport systems for fish vendors; * Declare any eviction of fish vendors without their consent and /or proper rehabilitation as illegal and if any removal of fish vendors become really necessary then ensure participation of fish vendors in the whole process including assessment of the need and rehabilitation; * Participate in management of fish retailing markets; * Participate in planning and implementation of government schemes for fish vendors including issuance of identity cards. Especially the right to manage and control various benefit and welfare schemes meant for fish vendors through local association, cooperative society or union of fish vendors to precude unscrupulous usurption of the facilities by people who are not fish vendors. He requested the fish vendor delegates to decide on a road map to build up a strong state platform of fish vendors and elect an ad-hoc committee to take forward the work. DMF General Secretary Milan Das greeted the representatives of fish vendors on behalf of DMF and said that the conference will go a long way in protecting anf enhancing the livelihood of fish vendors. He requested all DMF organisers and activists to work diligently in organising fish vendors. Murad Hossein, leader of the National Hawkers’ Union, described in brief the struggles of the hawker community. He pledged solidarity to the struggle of fish vendors and offered to fight together. Chittaranjan Barik, leader of Odisha Matsyajibi Forum, also pledged full support to the fish vendors’ struggle. He said that in Odisha OMF will also try to build up a strong organisation of fish vendors. DMF and fish vendor leaders Biswanath Bera, Ambia Hossein, Chaitan Besra, Bidhan Dey and others spoke on the occasion.