At the heart of the fishing industry is the invisible labour of women. Over 12.3 million women, mostly from oppressed castes, work in fishing in India. They catch, farm, process and sell fish, mend nets, and maintain fishing gear. But, their contribution is largely unacknowledged, both in government policies and within fishing communities.
“Breaking the Nets” — a 5-part multimedia series — shows what happens when these women decide to organise and stand up for their rights.
In Bihar, we documented how Chandrakala Devi and other women from the Mallah fishing community orchestrated a remarkable transformation. These women, trapped in cycles of sex slavery and debt bondage by dominant caste landlords, successfully mobilized to take control of their village fish ponds. Their story demonstrates how economic independence can be a powerful tool for fighting sexual exploitation and caste oppression.
In Puducherry’s fishing communities, we investigated how all-male community councils exercise control over women’s lives through a complex system of arbitrary fines and social restrictions. The story of Vedavalli, a fisherwomen’s leader who challenged these patriarchal institutions, reveals how women are questioning traditional power structures and creating their own spaces for decision-making.
The series then moves to the Sundarbans, where we profile Urmila Sardar and other widows of tiger attack victims who risk their lives daily, defying forest department restrictions to catch fish and crabs in the mangrove forests. In a parallel narrative from South India, we tell the story of 80-year-old Namma Thayi, who has spent decades diving for seaweed in the Gulf of Mannar despite her age.
In Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district, indigenous women have turned to fish farming to combat widespread malnutrition, utilizing the region’s abundant water resources and traditional village ponds. We profile women like Lakshmipriya Giri, a young indigenous woman who has avoided distress migration and gained economic independence through fish farming, representing a crucial countertrend to the decline of small-scale fishing across India.
In Mumbai, the indigenous Koli women fish vendors are being squeezed out of their traditional markets as private redevelopment takes over India’s commercial capital. At Shirodkar market, Shyamla Worlikar’s income was halved after vendors were relocated from their 50-year-old fish market to an underground basement with inadequate facilities, prompting her to take India’s richest municipal corporation to court. Through collective action, these women are fighting to protect their historic markets and livelihoods from real estate developers.
Each story in our series reveals a different facet of resistance and resilience. By centring women’s voices and experiences through visual storytelling, the series challenges the traditional narrative of fishing as a male-dominated occupation and demonstrates what becomes possible when women organise, assert their rights, and fight oppression.
“Breaking The Nets” combines innovative digital formats with in-depth field reporting, making these important stories accessible and engaging. Through these formats, we’ve given voice to an underrepresented community while preserving the authenticity and dignity of the women who trusted us with their stories.
