14 Apr 2020  |   03:27am IST

ONLY TRADITIONAL FISHERMEN BE ALLOWED FISHING IN STATE SAYS GRE

With the Centre lifting the ban on fishing activity, Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) has demanded that only traditional fishermen be allowed to carry out fishing activity in Goan waters considering the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. "The fisheries department is aware that the fishing community has a large number of migrants and there is a high possibility of community transmission of coronavirus in the State,” said GRE General secretary Olencio Simoes. “Hence, we have demanded that only traditional fishing should be allowed and all commercial fishing which requires more crew members, especially purse seine boats, be banned as most of their fish catch is exported to other states or countries.” “Mere lifting of the fishing ban without any proper guidelines will be detrimental to the State and there could be surge in COVID-19 cases in Goa," said Simoes. Simoes said that a circular was issued, asking fishing vessels or fishermen to follow several conditions. "We wonder who will monitor these conditions. Since March 24, the state had issued a ban on fishing, which is blatantly being violated. Therefore, the lifting of ban only favours a few like the purse seine owners, LED light and bull trawling owners," Simoes added. Simoes said the fisheries department should instruct the health department to build awareness campaigns and provide fishermen with necessary safety gears like masks, gloves and sanitisers to the entire fishing crew, while also sanitising the landing areas, jetties and fish markets. "The fisheries department must keep strict vigilance on trawlers using LED lights equipped with generators, bull or pair trawling and high-powered engines as these trawlers have also violated the fishing ban which was implemented during the lockdown.” “If this continues, we will run out of fish stocks. Fish exports should stop, so that the people of Goa will get abundant and cheap fish specially during the lockdown," said Simoes