Fishing in troubled waters
The recent incidents of canoes capsizing along the Mormugao-Canacona sea front wherein over 50 fishermen have been rescued by lifeguards are a cause for concern and action. That the fishermen ventured out into the rough sea, despite the weather warnings by the Goa Met department, betrays the risks that canoe owners are willing to take given the lucre of money, and the dizzy fish prices in Goan markets.
Most of the fishermen were out to net the prized solar prawns and much sought after varieties such as pomfret and lady fish. The added urgency for the local fishermen to venture out was the then existing ban on trawling, the potential abundant catch and shortage of fresh fish in the market. Given all these circumstances, there is need to study and streamline the entire fishing industry in Goa.
Though in this case the onus is on the fishermen and boat owners who are willing to put the lives of their workmen at risk to garner profits, the government has to play the role of a regulator, especially to protect the lives of the fishermen. Though some of these fishermen may be locals, a large number of them are migrants hailing from Karnataka, Kerala, Orissa or Jharkhand. The South Goa Collector’s statements that his administration would ensure that fishermen do not leave the shore without life jackets is welcome, provided there is strict implementation. However, not all fishermen will leave from designated jetties. The efforts of Drishti Special Response Services in rescuing the distressed fishermen in coordination with the Coast Guard and its chopper pilots, is nothing short of heroic. Drishti has also announced that it would keep track of fishermen who are not good swimmers. Though these measures may help in the short term, a long-term plan has to be thought out and fused with the other schemes for fishermen.
Identification of fishing villages, concentration of fishermen, canoes, trawlers and jetties would be a priority. Secondly, the Drishti services which are operating on shoe-string budgets, outdated equipment and poor salaries paid to lifeguards are generally hired for rescuing tourists rather than fishermen who venture much farther into the sea. Hence, dedicated search-and-rescue teams specifically for rescuing fishermen in distress have to be put in place. Third, the coast guard or dedicated powerboats and helicopters have to be stationed at designated points along the coast from the North to the South. Presently, the coast guard helicopters are presumably located only at Mormugao, and the coastal talukas of Pernem, Bardez, Tiswadi, Salcete and Canacona are left in the lurch. In these circumstances, time is of critical consequence here for quick search-and-rescue operations to save lives.
After Goa joined the Indian Union, the first chief minister had constructed jetties at most of the major fishing villages. Since then successive government have only multiplied jetties and extended welfare schemes, but little has been done to make fishing an organized and regulated industry. Apart from ensuring the safety of fishermen and sustainability of the business, there is need to initiate large cold storages and fish processing and canning zones to add value to the catch which often rots but is still sold in the markets and leftover in heaps, leaving an unbearable stench.
Given that in India initiatives have to be taken by the government, the State administration will have to take the first step to make fishing an industry by drafting a fishing policy, seeing to its implementation and energizing the industry. It is indeed ironic that though fishermen lead a hard life and risk their lives daily, they get pretty little in terms of rewards. The price of fish is exorbitant in a fish-rich state like Goa and it is the middlemen who laugh all the way to the bank. There is an urgent need to regulate fish prices, ascertain that fish sold in markets is fit for consumption by constant inspections, and ensuring that fishermen do not get sucked into this cycle of making a killing on fish, even by risking their lives.
