Environmental degradation and urbanisation are pushing a 700-year-old fishing community to abandon their boats and nets

Priyamvada Mangal examines the environmental and urban pressures faced by Mumbai’s Koli fishing community, which has sustained the city’s coastal culture and economy for generations. As Mumbai’s rapid urban development encroaches on traditional fishing areas, the Koli fisherfolk are confronting significant environmental challenges while striving to preserve their livelihoods. This piece, produced with support from the Thomson Reuters Foundation, offers an in-depth look at how one of Mumbai’s oldest communities is adapting to a changing urban landscape. Priyamvada Mangal is an independent photographer and journalist.