South Indian Federation of Fishermen Societies

South Indian Federation of Fishermen Societies (SIFFS) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) working in the marine fisheries sector. SIFFS is the apex body of organizations of small-scale artisanal fish workers based out at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. It has a three-tier organisational structure.

With over 6,000 member fishermen, organised through 100 primary societies in eight districts of Southern peninsular India, SIFFS over the last two decades has kept its focus on strengthening the artisanal fisheries.

Established essentially as a fish-marketing organisation, SIFFS now provides a range of services to member and non-member fish workers. At present, over 50,000 fish workers including non-members are availing these services, in their numerous endeavors to assume collective control over their own destinies.

The tsunami that was caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra struck the Indian coast on 26 December 2004. This unprecedented event killed thousands of people, destroyed their houses and property, and made several thousands stranded across the coast line. The death toll in India is mainly in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh. Naturally, the fisherpeople are the worst hit. Thousands have died, several fishing villages were just wiped away.

SIFFS actively participated in the relief and rehabilitation activities mainly in Nagapattinam and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu. SIFFS focussed on these two districts for two reasons: first, these are the districts that have been affected the worst. Secondly, these are the districts where SIFFS has its presence through primary fishermen societies. At Nagapattinam, SIFFS was instrumental in founding the NGO Co-ordination and Resource Centre (NCRC).

Policy Research and Documentation forms a thrust area of SIFFS operations. Educating the policy makers, fisherfolk and other people by entering into dialogues with them is undertaken as part of policy research and documentation. To this end, SIFFS has undertaken many research projects, singly and jointly with following objectives.

• Promotion of socio-economic, environmental and technical investigation of issues pertinent to fisheries in response to fisheries development and management needs.
• Enhance coordination and cooperation between relevant organisations working in fisheries' related activities
• Enhance awareness and capacity of stakeholders to ensure sustainable fishery
• Raise consensus among stakeholders on approaches to address the sustainable management resources.