Team Herald
VASCO: Close on the heels of the news article published by Herald on the plight of fishermen community, the Goa Fishing Boat Owners Association (GFBOA) on Tuesday confirmed that there has been severe impact on fishing activities in Indian waters due to scanty catch and in future they all would be forced to give up their traditional occupation.
Herald reported that due to unprofitability of fishing, 60 fishermen families from Vasco have been considering to give up their traditional occupation.
Such confirmation was made in a memorandum submitted to South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar by GFBOA, on Tuesday. A copy of the same memorandum was also forwarded to Herald.
Strongly objecting to illegal fishing going in Goan waters as well as in the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea by the trawlers from neighbouring states as well as by some Goan boats, GFBOA General Secretary Simon Pereira warned that “if the use of high speed engine boats and powerful LED lights are not stopped, then the same will greatly impact fishing in Indian waters as we are already facing scanty of fish catch and in future and we will be forced to give up fishing.”
GFBOA also sought Sawaikar’s intervention to protect fishermen’s houses at Khariwado which are been facing the threat of demolition.
Meanwhile, MP Narendra Sawaikar informed that he has received the representations and would study the case to find out how best he could help solve the problems of Vasco fishermen.
