02 Jun 2023  |   06:38am IST

Despite fishing ban, trawlers still out at sea off Velsao coast, claims GRE

Wants Fisheries Dept to take stern action against violators; says if present Fisheries Director is not interested, she can resign and take care of other depts under her charge; threatens to take law in their hands if authorities fail to act

Team Herald

VASCO: Up in arms over what they called the ‘violation of the monsoon fishing ban’ by trawlers, traditional fishermen claimed that these vessels are still out at sea off the Velsao coast. 

Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) on Thursday demanded that the Fisheries Department take stern action against such violators.

“Two trawlers were seen openly fishing at sea off the Velsao coast,” GRE General Secretary Olencio Simoes alleged. This was happening despite the ban being implemented from Thursday, June 1. 

Simoes wished to know if the Fisheries Department was alert and whether the Fisheries Director would act on it. 

“We had exposed all the violations taking place at sea. If authorities do not act we may be forced to take law in our hands. The trawlers are violating the ban on the first day of the ban itself,” he added.

GRE demanded a full time fisheries director and said if the present director Shamila Monteiro is not interested, she can resign and take care of other Departments under her charge. “We cannot bear such illegalities with no action forthcoming from the Fisheries Department,” Simoes said. The GRE alleged that the Fisheries Department has already released fishing trawlers from other States which were illegally fishing in Goan waters and even those indulging in LED fishing and demanded that the government should immediately act against trawlers operating during the fishing ban and suspend their licences.

GRE also questioned why the government is silent on the monsoon ban violations and how the trawlers are still at sea. 

GRE vice-president Camilo Souza said that the violation of the ban was so flagrant that fishing trawlers were visible from Velsao shore itself. He alleged that the trawlers are also using small boats for LED fishing and in the process, finishing the livelihood of traditional fishermen, but the Fisheries Department is silent. 

Souza went so far as to demand the fisheries director Sharmila Monteiro’s resignation, if she did not have the will to act against the open illegalities.  He demanded the seizing of the trawlers which were violating the monsoon fishing ban.