Cooperative society is a voluntary association of persons who work together to promote their economic and social interests. Cooperative organizations are now widespread all over the world. The United Nations Organization declared 2012 as the International Year of Cooperatives, highlighting the contribution of cooperatives to socio-economic development, particularly their impact on poverty reduction, employment generation, and social integration. In India, as per National Federation of Fishermen's Cooperatives Ltd (FISHCOPFED) there are one National Level Federation, 20 State Level Federations, 3 Regional level Federations, 141 District Level societies and 20,639 primary fishermen cooperative societies with the membership at the primary level of 31,78,239. Of the total primary fishermen cooperatives about 3007 are marine cooperatives societies. The Maharashtra state has one State Level Federation, 2 Regional Level Federations, 36 District Level societies, 3315 Primary Fishermen Cooperative Societies with total membership of 3,32,636. Among them, 354 are primary marine cooperatives societies. A study was done with the objective to assess potential of employment generation by marine fisheries cooperative organizations. For this, the functions played by different cooperatives were studied. Interview schedule was used to collect information. A total of 39 cooperatives were selected for this study from Maharashtra state, where chairperson/secretary/members of Board of Management were interviewed and their perceptions on possible employment generation under different functions were collected. It was found that cooperatives perform functions such as production; handling and processing; marketing; supply and services; consumption, social and community services.
Under production function; cooperatives usually do activities like handling issues of boat/net/gear ownership, fish catching and participation in share of catch, imparting production information, fishing site search etc. The cooperative authorities suggested that if cooperatives purchase their own fishing boats it can provide employment opportunity to members. Also, owning their own nets and gears and providing it to their members can also generate employment opportunity for net repair and maintenance. Providing information on fish availability and fishing grounds as paid services to members would give employment opportunity to youth members of cooperatives. Under handling facilities; carrier boat service, landing services at jetty, drinking water facility, fish storage, ice storage, ice plant facilities on nominal charges can also give employment opportunities to number of cooperative members. Another function undertaken by cooperatives is processing. Processing function includes fish drying on racks/kiln, smoking kilns, gutting, filleting, packaging, salting, fish products like marinades and delicacies and quality control. Under the function of processing; establishment and management of drying yards, processing facilities, freezing plants, cold storages were suggested as possible areas where employment can be generated. Under the function of marketing; cooperatives are engaged in auction/sales facilities, market information, transport - chilled/frozen products, offsite fish markets, retail outlets, export marketing - negotiation, organization and advertising. Possible areas of employment generation suggested were sales facilities, marketing information services, transportation of fishes, operating offsite fish market, retail outlets and export. Cooperatives are effectively performing the function of providing input services like supplying fuel, spare parts, ice, consumption items, nets and gears. This provides employment opportunities to their members. However, they suggested that there is potential of employment generation in boat building and repair, engine workshop, net-gear making & repairs and beaching facilities.
In addition to these functions, other employment opportunities suggested were first aid, pharmacy, medical and recreation. Therefore, it can be concluded that the marine fisheries cooperatives of Maharashtra have the potential of employment generation based on the functions they undertake.