Mechanized fishing boats (trawlers) from Karwar had made merry by venturing into Goan waters during the period of the fishing ban. The tables have now been reversed and Karwar trawler operators are crying foul and accusing the Goan Coastal Security Police of harassment.
Karwar trawler operators have alleged that their fishing trawlers are regularly intercepted by Goa’s Coastal Security Police in the Arabian Sea off the Talpona coast, with law enforcement agencies decamping with their prized catch of fish.
“This loot has been going on since the past one year and our complaints to the Karwar Coast Guard have not evoked any response,” complained Srikant Harikantra, a trawler owner and Secretary of Karwar Fishermen Association.
Asked as to why they did not lodge a complaint with the Goa Coast Guard, Harikantra replied, “It would have been an exercise in futility as the protectors are now the destroyers.”
Another trawler operator of Karwar alleged that the Goa Coastal Security Police boats have been zooming past them with great speed.
“This has endangered our boats and our lives due to the large waves created by the speeding boats,” said the Karwar trawler operator.
They also divulged that the Goan trawler owners have been facing the same problem and have regularly alleged that their fishing nets have ripped apart by the motors of the Goa Coast Guard boats.
The Karwar fishermen have stated that they will initiate a protest rally against the Goa Coastal Security Police and are to meet their president Ganapati Ulvekar to take further action.
There are an estimated 500 trawlers operating from the Karwar coast and they supply fish to Goa and other neighbouring states, while some varieties of fish are also exported to other countries.
When contacted, Goa Coast Guard DIG Manoj Baadkar said that he was unaware of such issues involving Coast Guard vessels and clarified that their boats venture into the Arabian Sea at Vasco.
The Goa State Coastal Security Police also ruled out any harassment towards the Karwar trawlers. “I am not aware of any such activity (harassment) and our surveillance boat is presently under repairs,” said Canacona Range Coastal Security Police PSI Prakash Gaonkar, who is based at Talpona.
When informed that the Goa Coastal Security Police had denied allegations of harassment, Harikantra replied, “Last year, our Karwar trawlers were intercepted at Betul by the Goa Coastal Security Police and our prized catch of fish was looted by them. We later staged a protest by blocking the entry of Goan trawlers in the Arabian Sea at Karwar. The matter was amicably settled and now, the Coastal Security Police at Talpona is doing the same.”
“They stop our fishing boats on our return journey and ask the crew members for identification. Even if one crew member is found without proper ID, they threaten the fishing boat that they seize the boat and the fish, besides detaining the crew member.”
“All crew members on our trawlers now carry valid ID documents with them, but that has not stopped the Goa Coastal Security Police from looting the prized catch from our boats.”
Another fisherman has warned that if the harassment continues, the trawler operators from Karwar would retaliate by blocking Goan trawlers from entering their waters.
“Everyday, many Goan trawlers are anchored at Baithkol-Karwar during the day and they leave the Karwar coast for fishing activity in the Karwar Sea at dusk. Now is the time for us to retaliate and stop the Goan trawlers from fishing in our territory if the Goa Coastal Security Police continues to harass us,” said the Karwari fisherman.
