Four months after the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court directed urgent enforcement of the 2017 ban on LED fishing, the State’s Coastal Police have opted to procure only one fast patrol boat — despite government approval for two. The decision has deepened suspicions among traditional fishers that au thorities are unwilling to curb illegal fishing.
“Considering that the Coastal Police has practically no operational interceptor boats and rely on small craft which are unable to patrol the 100 nautical mile coastline of Goa, immediate steps shall be taken by the Goa Coastal Police and by the Government of Goa (Home Department), to en sure adequate numbers of interceptor boats are procured in the shortest possible time to plug this gap in enforce ment of the Ban order 2017 and the provision of the Ma rine Act,” wrote Justice Valmiki Menezes in his May 8, 2025 order in Writ Petition 403/2022 with PILWP 32/2022. Traditional fishers across the state had approached the High Court, alleging that the 2017 ban on LED fishing was being openly flouted by mechanised trawler owners — with the tacit support of government departments. “The trawlers have started operating from our coast and despite complaints to the Department of Fisheries, just like before, we are totally ignored,” said an exasperated local fisher, Simao Fernandes from Carmona. “Despite the number of trawlers fishing in our area, the Coastal Police are nowhere. It is therefore not shocking, that, after getting sanction to purchase two boats, they opt ed for one,” he added. Official documents accessed by O Heraldo confirm that the Department of Home (General), in a letter dated March 6, 2025, had conveyed, “administrative approval of the Government for purchase of 2 Nos of 15 M fast Patrol Boat (having conventional propulsion with fixed pitch pro pellers) for estimated amount of Rs 6.29 crore @Rs 3.145 crore each.” However, a subsequent government tender dated June 3, 2025, issued by the Procurement Cell of the Office of the Deputy Superintendent of Police, invited bids only for “pro curement of 1 Nos of 15 M Fast Patrol Boat (having conven tional propulsion with fixed pitch propeller).” The decision has only confirmed the worst fears of many traditional fishers. “Our fight at the High Court was against the mafia of mechanical fishing boat owners and the deci sion of the police suggests we are to continue suffering,” said a fisher from South Goa, requesting anonymity, fearing reprisal. When contacted, Superintendent of Coastal Police Raju Raut Desai offered a terse response: “We have one boat which is in good condition and have opted for another as it will do. I cannot discuss details as we are only answerable to the High Court.” Meanwhile, reports of dwindling catch and widespread illegal fishing have persisted. “There are reports of ille gal fishing in the entire coast of Goa by trawlers and mini purse seines, plundering during day as well as night. The intention of the Department of Fisheries to activate its en forcement wing is not evident at all. The department’s pa trol boat is kept in breakdown mode and people taken to work on it are being paid monthly, though it cannot sail,” alleged Sebastain Rodrigues, General Secretary of the Na tional Federation of Small-Scale Fishworkers (NFSF). Fisher Denzil Cardoso echoed the frustration, claiming that red-coloured boats from Malpe, near Mangalore, have started encroaching into Goan waters for bull trawling. “The phone numbers, that we are supposed to complain to, never work,” he complained. “I have given up calling on the Fisheries and Coastal Police number. The phone number appears to be a Department of Fisheries screen to fool the High Court,” he added. The May 8 judgment had categorically stated: “The Di rectorate of Fisheries and the Goa Coastal Police are direct ed to maintain a dedicated mobile number and an email id for receiving complaints from the public; large publici ty shall be given to and the dedicated phone number and email id shall be made known to the public through all forms of media.” It further ordered: “The phone numbers/helpline shall be made available 24 hours of the day with a responsible officer monitoring the same, to ensure prompt action in the event of a complaint being received.” But on the ground, these directives appear to have made little difference. “People who complain to the fisheries con trol room are reported to those engaged in illegal fishing and subjected to threats over phone calls,” alleged Rodri gues. Repeated attempts to contact Shamila Monteiro, recently reinstated as Director of Fisheries, were unsuccessful. When informed, Fisheries Minister Nilkant Halarnkar said: “I made it very clear to her (Shamila Monteiro) that no trawlers must be allowed to fish in areas of our traditional fishermen. I am shocked that she is allowing such a thing. I will speak with her right now.