Unseen, Unscene and the scales of existence by Productive Urbanism

UNSEEN, UNSCENE AND THE SCALES OF EXISTENCE

AHMEDABAD, GUJARAT

Ruben Winter EXUA9622

FOR FOOD & THE CITY COURSE BY MANSI SHAH S23 CEPT UNIVERSITY

INTRODUCTION

Located in the western part of India, Gujarat is surrounded by the Arabian Sea and has a long coastline of about 1600 km. It is one of the most densely populated states in India, with over 600 lakh people. Although it is not widely known, fishing is a significant economic driver in Gujarat, with an estimated 40 lakh people depending on it in some way. The state is the largest producer of marine fish in India, accounting for around 40% of the country’s total marine fish production. It is also the second-largest producer of freshwater fish in the country, after Andhra Pradesh.

The fishing industry in Gujarat has undergone significant changes in recent years. The state has seen a surge in demand for fish as more people are consuming it as part of their regular diet. This has led to an increase in the number of fishing boats, resulting in overfishing in some areas, potentially damaging the ecosystem, and threatening long-term sustainability. The state government has taken several steps to regulate fishing in the state, such as introducing a ban on trawling in certain areas and setting up a Marine Fisheries Advisory Board. Furthermore, aquaculture is heavily promoted by the government to reduce the country‘s dependency on wild fish. Despite these efforts, overfishing continues to be a major problem in Gujarat.

According to the latest data from the Marine Products Export Development Authority, the total marine fish production in Gujarat was estimated to be around 6.5 lakh metric tonnes in 2020–21. This was a significant increase from the previous year, when the production was estimated to be around 4.7 lakh metric tonnes.

Concerning freshwater fish production, Gujarat is the second largest in the country, with an estimated production of 1.5 lakh metric tonnes in 2020–21. The year before, the estimated production was to be around 1.2 lakh metric tonnes.

To tackle upcoming problems of long-term sustainability related to fish production and the growth of the fishing economy, it is vital that the systemic chains in place that bring fish to the plate on a daily basis be understood in depth and on different scales, both at the macro and the micro level. These systems are interwoven, made up of chains of individual parts that create a whole. Some of these parts I wanted to document through this photo series in Ahmedabad: the narratives of the local fisherman, the logistics of delivering the produce, market vendors, fishmongers, and the support system such as the distributors, ice vendors, and others. Through this project, I wanted to emphasise these parts of the systemic chains as an introduction to a deeper understanding of the unseen parts of the fish market and the narratives of people.

HIMMATNAGAR

AHMEDABAD

MANDVI

OKHA

MUNDRA

SIKKA

KANDLA

RAJKOT

BARODA

PORTBANDER

VERAVAL

PIPAVAV

SURAT

FISHING PORTS

MAJOR CITIES

    

This map shows the major fishing ports from where the cities such as Ahmedabad optain their fish produce

GUJARAT PORT MAP by Ahana Ahana

This map of Ahmedabad shows the places where fish is sold. Furthermore in the context of the photo series the places visited are mentioned. Along the river banks between the riverfront of Ahmedabad and the Karai canal and south of the riverfront, around Vishala, fisherman were seen. Other sources of fish are located in Himmatnagar and along Narmada River. The focus of the markets in the project is on Bhadra Fish Market.

       KARAI VISHALA

BHADRA FISH MARKET AHMEDABAD MAP by

FISH MARKETS

BHADRA



   FISH SHOPS OLD MARKET MEAT SHOPS

Set up during the british rule in the 1940s Peak Season: November - May Ban Season: June - August (Government ban on fishing, no subsidy given to fisherman)

CHUDI OL

            MEAT MARKET FISH MARKET RETAIL MARKET WHOLESALE MARKET BHADRA PLAZA PATWA SHERI TEEN DARWAZA SUBA FISHERIES DRY FISH STALLS    

       

FISH MARKET MAP by Ahana

FISH VAREITY by Ahana SEAWATER FISH FRESHWATER FISH PAPLET - WHITE POMFRET JHINGA - PRAWN KEKDA - CRAB LADY FISH PARVA HILSA PAPLET - BLACK POMFRET SQUID CATFISH MOONFISH INDIAN BASA CATLA SURMAI - KING FISH BANGA - MACKEREL SARDINE RAJA SHANKH ROHU BOMBIL - BOMBAY DUCK TUNA RANI - PINK PERCH JEEBH MAHI RAWAS - INDIAN SALMON

NARRATIVES ON/OF FISH PRODUCE IN AHMEDABAD, GUJARAT

PHOTOS BY RUBEN WINTER SHOT ON FUJI FILM X70

FISHERMAN ONE

The colourful lure quickly appears from the the water, another throw, another splash, another try to catch the fish hidden in between the river green. The reflection of the water, the first rays of morning sun and fresh wind make the hunt peaceful and quit.

FISCHERMAN TWO

No luck that day, the young fisherman steps out of Sabarmati River without catching any fish with his fishing rod. At this part of the Sabarmati construction alters the natural riverbanks making way for the cities growing infrastructure. While finishing his fishing attempt for the morning, the construction workers start their day.

CATCHES

Then he unlocks his phone and shows me photos taken on other days of fishing. The photos tell stories about the skill of the fisherman and the time he spent out along the river, they tell the proud story of a family father providing for his family and selling on the market.

SABARMATI RIVER

The image of river changes walking along its stream, from green banks to construction site, the riverfront project and to areas polluted by the outlets of various industries and sewage pipes, as red brown water and foam in all colours are spilled into the rivers stream.

BHADRA MARKET

6:30am, Bhadra Fish Market: with the end of the prayer of the muezzin the market suddenly awakes, the streets fill with people, sounds and smells.

PANGASIUS

The thermo boxes, keeping the fish protected and cool, are used to transport the produce overnight during the seven hour train ride from Portbander or similar ports along the Gujarat coast.

PRAWNS

Boxes are delievered via bicycle trailer, rickshaw or transporters from the train station. The freshwater caught or bred in and around Ahmedabad is delivered, most of them still alive by fisherman or middleman.

MARKET STALL

Owners oversee the workers while they open up box after box, revealing the valuable variety of fish and seafood, comparing the delivered produce with their management books.

DISTRIBUTION

The content of other boxes is distributed between stalls, vendors or only partly put up for display.

ROHU – LABEO ROHITA The boxes tipped over, spill the fish on colorful tarts, revealing the amounts to be sold that day.

CRABS

The sea crabs from the shore are even still alive at the time they arrive at their destination.

CARPS AND CHANNA STRIATA - SNAKEHEAD

By the time the fish reaches Ahmedabad the ice is often melted, local vendors provide new crushed ice to keep cool during the rising temperatures of the morning sun.

ICE VENDOR

A whole system in itself, the ice vendors get big blocks of ice delivered, that are mostly frozen on an industrial scale. The vendors then break down the ice into smaller pieces and process it into crushed ice. They can then provide ice throughout the day as the common way to keep the fish cool.

FISHMONGER ONCE

Calling me to his stall, consisting out of few steel bowls with a variety of fish, he tells me to take me a photo of him. These fish he will try to sell today.

SNAKEHEAD, EAL, PRAWNS AND SARDINES

Especially in the busy morning hours the market is extended by vendors without a stall, selling directly from bowls off the road.

OWNER AND FRIEND

A other owner proudly calls me to his stall to show me his biggest fish of that day.

CATFISH

The Catfish still moving, is cheap and tastes amazing I am told. Not too long ago they were caught by fisherman along the river.

Restaurant chefs and owners, family fathers and mothers, they are all up early to get the best choice of fish to then later prepare local or south indian fish dishes.

BHADRA MARKET

FISHMONGER TWO

The fishmongers cleans the fresh bought fish in a matter of seconds in an efficient routine. He turns the just delivered fish into a produce ready to be cooked.

FISHMONGER THREE

Scratching of the fish scales with a metal brush, the repeated rhythmic thump of the fishmongers knife mix with the rest of the sounds of the market.

THE MANY SCALES

The market streets, slippery from the water, melting ice and filth, shimmer in the morning sun as fish scales litter the floor. Remains of the fishmongers´s work hinting at the amounts of fish he prepared that morning.

CATLA - INDIAN CARP Another morning ends at Bhadra Market, a node in space and time interlinking the systemic chains providing fish for the city.

CEPT UNIVERSITY S23

Ruben Winter Food & the city - Mansi Shah S23