We have all heard the famous proverb at some point of time in our lives, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” But what if the one who knows how to fish, has other problems that hamper his fishing skills and affect his livelihood? That’s exactly what the fishing community in Goa has been complaining about.
The All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union (AGSSRFU) has criticised the State government for its inaction against alleged illegal fishing in the Zuari river, which they say is a violation of the High Court (HC) directives in the matter. The HC on January 9 this year had directed the authorities concerned to enforce the Act that prohibits mechanised fishing within 5 km from the coast in the sea and warned that action would be initiated against the officials if such activities take place despite the ban.
The HC had directed the Director of Fisheries and Coastal Security Superintendent of Police (SP) to file separate affidavits within three weeks (end of January). However, environmentalists have now complained that illegal fishing was taking place near Dona Paula and that most of their complaints with the authorities concerned were not being addressed.
On the other hand, the retail fish market owned by the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) is once again in the spotlight as several fish vendors have expressed concerns over theft of fish and security lapses. Vendors allege that fish stock is being stolen from the market, and despite repeated requests, the SGPDA has failed to implement adequate security measures.
On Thursday night, an unidentified individual was caught red-handed while attempting to steal fish from the market. The theft has intensified the grievances of fish vendors who claim that a lack of security vigilance during the night exposes their stock to theft and damage. Fish vendors have voiced their frustration, stating that despite bringing the issue to the attention of both the police and SGPDA officials, no effective action has been taken. The absence of security personnel and broken entry gates at the market compound make it easy for miscreants and vagrants to enter and steal fish, resulting in financial losses for the vendors.
For every population that lives by the banks of the river and by the coast of the seas, fishing is a natural resource for livelihood. While it’s an open secret that neither the Coastal Police nor the Fisheries Department have adequate human resources to carry out policing, illegalities continue in the sea and close to the shores unabated. Unless and until the government looks at fishing as a sustainable business for a large section of the population which lives by the coast, and acknowledges its responsibility to fulfil the demands of the fishermen, illegalities will continue. And without administrative human resource, neither the illegalities at sea not the irresponsibilities on land will be apprehended and taken to task.
The famous columnist, Doug Larson once said, “If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there’d be a shortage of fishing poles.” Therefore, if only our governments concentrated on the fishing industry with good faith and accountability, there will be no dearth in the industry.
