Guardians of the Sea: How the Koli Community’s Wisdom Can Transform Marine Conservation

 Changing Tides: How Cultural Beliefs Drive Ocean Conservation

In 2016, I completed my Master's degree from The Institute of Science, Mumbai in Zoology with specialization in Fisheries and Oceanography. I chose this course for my Master's because I have been curious about the ocean and marine life since my childhood.

  After this coursework and degree, I got my first small-time job as a Project Assistant with an NGO based in Mumbai. The goal of that project was to collect fish taxonomy data about fishes landed and fish wasted along Sassoon Dock, one of the most popular and oldest fishing ports and fish landing centers not only in Mumbai but also in Maharashtra. During that period, I interacted with lots of fishermen directly involved in fishing. Not only male candidates but also female candidates, who mostly belong to the Koli, Vaity, and Mangela communities of the traditional fishing caste of Maharashtra. Additionally, there were many other people apart from natives. Mostly from the Banjara community of Maharashtra and Karnataka, who provided additional support in daily tasks. These tasks involved removing the shell of prawns and lobster, cleaning the squid, and helping fishing boat owners empty their fish haul and clean the boat. Apart from this, I additionally interacted with a few other people in the dock such as ice factory owners and workers, boat mechanics, etc. Surprisingly, I interacted with people from Nagar and Satara regions who are originally farmers but for more than two generations have been involved in fish trading, fish auction, and fish processing businesses.

  During this process, I learned the story behind the white gold extraction from fish waste, specifically waste from prawns and shrimp. Most people throw this thing as waste after getting the fishy part, but there is high demand for this shell in the market. Few people here are busy collecting this waste and extracting 'Chitin' from that shell for further industrial use. So many things which I cannot share here publicly act as a crucial and criminal background to make this profit without coming to anyone's eyes.

  But now I discuss the conservation part and some issues which I found as a marine biologist. In some pockets in and around this dock, I observed the illegal trading of shark fins in high numbers. When I first visited that particular shop, they did not allow me to capture any photographs. But I remember there were more than 100-200 shark fins of various shapes and sizes. One thing I never forgot is the huge size of Blacktip shark fins, numbering more than 30-40. One thing I noticed: there were no local community people involved in this secret business. Mostly outsiders who spoke Hindi, English, and Tamil. After that day's incident, I never visited that shop until the end of my first research project, but whenever I visit the dock, I always remember that incident.

  Most fishermen go to sea for more than 10-20 days on a fishing trip. When they come back with their bottom trawler or purse seine boat, they are almost at the optimum physical level where they require some relief. So, in most cases, most of the fish they catch are sold in auction by people who do not belong to the fishing community or traditional fishers; they are mostly people from Nagar or Satara or sometimes others. They just sell their fishing stock and get instant cash or credit. Nobody in this circle knows the story of what happened with sharks or what happened with shark fins. Now in 2025, working in this field for more than 6 years, I know about CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)  and the WPA 1972 (The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972)  and schedule species, etc. But those days were just the starting days of my career. Here I highlight the outlook of two different communities: one involved just in fishing, and another involved in the illegal trading of shark fins who know what they are doing.

  When I interviewed most fishing community people during that period, I tried my best to record their outlook and approach towards fishing and the ocean. Most of the time, they just want to keep this legacy in future generations as fishers or 'Kings of the Sea' ('Koli') without intentionally damaging the marine ecosystem. And they are not involved in any illegal fish trading business. Because they believe they are sons of the ocean, so no need to put extra effort to collect more fish apart from their daily fishing routines. They just believe in doing their best when on the boat and resting after reaching home.

  In most cases, a traditional fisherman believes in expressing their gratitude towards the ocean many times during their life. But specifically, each year there is one dedicated festival they celebrate for this cause: 'Narali Purnima'. Apart from that day, whenever they go on a fishing trip, they deposit one coconut ('Naral' in Marathi) into the ocean for a good start and gratitude. Additionally, when they unintentionally catch any sea turtle, dolphin, or porpoise in their net, they try to remove it safely and throw it back into the ocean. When they observe any whale breaching, they slow their boat speed and maintain a safe distance.

 Why I wrote these things here is to understand how the thinking pattern of traditional fishermen plays an indirect role in marine conservation. It has been almost a decade now, and we are in the age of Artificial Intelligence where we can easily access a lot of good information, creating capacity development for fishers in marine conservation. But think how this type of community still exists on the coastline of Maharashtra.

  What I understand now, I mention below in point form for better implementation of marine conservation policy and approach:

  All funding agencies, government bodies, and research people must first understand: these native traditional fishers know their fishing grounds very well – better than you before you existed. So, if you wish to do better for their community or fishing practice, initially consider their thoughts and opinions on that issue you wish to solve.

 It does not mean that if they do not speak English, they are illiterate or uneducated. They know the marine ecosystem better than you in detail; that's why they plan their fishing operation and fishing gear according to their traditional knowledge and adaptation which they have adapted now. What you can do is make this scientific complex knowledge simpler and easier to understand in their style of language.

  Do not implement and force the Fisheries Regulation Act blindly, nor forcefully implement Coastal Regulation Zone policy (CRZ) without understanding their daily use of that area, specific area topography, and traditional community structure.

  It is not only about you being concerned about marine mammals because you are a researcher and hold some higher degree in the educational market. But if you are not able to share this giant knowledge with common people, you are far away from the goal of 30 by 30, at least for the case of marine mammals. Because they spend more time at sea with these gentle giants without sophisticated hydrophones, toad arrays, binoculars, or cameras. If you do not train these people in mass skill levels, we are far away from decoding the secrets behind these giant lives.

  They are interested in reducing, reusing, and recycling plastic, but if we are not providing effective pocket-friendly solutions, then there is no day to see a plastic-free ocean.

  Why am I writing this article here? Because I believe whoever reads this article, at least in the English language, mostly has some privilege of technical knowledge, tools, and scientific temperament in marine science and conservation. Take these issues personally if you are really willing to do some good in fisheries and marine conservation throughout the country. I am happy to work with you and support you, more specifically on the coastline of Maharashtra. I believe in teamwork with equal opportunity, respect, and goals. Wishing you all Narali Purnima wishes with a positive collective outlook towards the ocean.

Pradip Namdeo Chogal

31 July 2025;

5.18 PM, CSMT to Kalyan local (04.02 slow)

Tip: This year we celebrate Narali Purnima on 8 August 2025.