India, June 7 -- A directive from the state prohibiting the sale of fish at Sassoon Docks, one of Mumbai's oldest and most active fish landing sites, has stirred the waters for the fishing community, especially Kolis at Colaba and Cuffe Parade. The ban on fish sales, recently imposed by the Maharashtra state fisheries department, is a first at the dock and, according to the Koli community, oversteps the annual ban on fishing during the monsoon from June 1 to July 31.

While the community acknowledges the need to prohibit fishing during the monsoon months, as it protects marine biodiversity during the breeding season, they question the restriction on the sale of stored or inland-sourced fish at the dock. The move has deeply impacted the li...