MARGAO: The All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union charged that they are in for a rude shock every time they cast their nets in the sea as they end up 'catching' more plastic than fish.
Lamenting that plastic thrash was polluting the seas and affecting the bio-diversity, the union called upon the State Government to take immediate action to tackle the menace in Goa’s rivers effectively.
In a letter addressed to Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira as well as the Environment Department Principal Secretary, the union highlighted the detrimental impact of plastic waste on fishing activities and the overall health of the region's rivers and the Arabian Sea.
“We wish to draw your urgent attention to the plastic menace in Goa's rivers. So much of plastic waste directly being disposed of in Goa's rivers has created a situation so dangerous not only for our fishing activities but also to the health of our all rivers and Arabian Sea. During fishing our gillnets trap so much of trash including plastic bags. Often it is the case when we harvest more plastic in our fishing nets than fish,” said Shaila D'mello, Union President.
“Moreover, in several riverbed patches are covered with plastics thereby disrupting fish spawning activities specially of various benthic species that need unhindered direct riverbed access,” added Laximan Mangueshkar, Union Secretary.
They have proposed that the Government bans the manufacture of plastic, the sale and purchase of plastic bags as well as its entry into Goan markets, and for recommendations to be sent to the Centre for similar bans.
They have also asked that public awareness programs at all levels to educate people including households, ferry boat staff, fishing communities, students, religious institutions, consumer organisations, retail shops, coastal hotels, beach shacks, trawlers, waters sports companies, casino vessels in floating in Mandovi etc against dumping of plastic in rivers. The fishermen demanded that the government launch a programme for cleaning up all Goa's rivers of existing plastic dumped in it and disposing of the same as per existing regulations. The Union also demanded that the Environment Department set up a special task force to oversee the cleaning up of coastal areas and rivers of plastic menace.
Finally, they called for the introduction of river rescue boats on Goa's rivers to fetch floating Plastic.