MARGAO:The Bharat Mukti Morcha (BMM) has raised concerns that the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) and the Fisheries Department’s push for cage fishing in Goa is contrary to the interests of the State’s traditional fishing community.
BMM alleges that the State government is actively seeking to garner support for cage fishing, as part of a broader plan to promote
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the industrialisation of Goa’s rivers.
Sebastiao Rodrigues, the convenor of BMM, stated, “The CM’s research agenda includes the large-scale promotion of cage fishing (a form of aquaculture) in Goa. Both the Goa Government and the Central Government have introduced numerous funding schemes in this direction. The overarching political objective from 2016 to 2023 has been the removal of fishers from the rivers.”
BMM outlined several other initiatives by the State and Central governments that have faced opposition from locals, including the nationalization of Goa’s waterways, preferential treatment of trawlers over traditional fishermen, and proposed marina developments in Nauxim or Sancoale.
The group also expressed concerns about the impact of river dredging, shrinking fishing spaces, and the detrimental effects of illegal nighttime sand mining on the traditional fishing community. Rodrigues added that both the State and Central governments in India, often influenced by corporate and industrial interests, have allocated significant funds for aquaculture projects. As an example, Rodrigues pointed to the situation in Divar, where he alleged that cage fishing was being used as an excuse to gain access to tourism boats for water sports activities, resulting in mangrove damage and the destruction of fertile fish breeding areas.
He accused relevant authorities, including the North Goa Collector, of neglecting these issues.
