Ban lifted, but net down owing to rough sea

VRISHANK MAHATME

vrishank@herald-goa.com

BETIM: The lifting of the fishing ban on August 1 was expected to bring cheer to trawler owners and fish lovers but rough weather conditions have played spoilsport. 

Only a few trawlers have sailed from Malim Jetty in Betim even as the Indian Meteorological Department has warned fishermen against venturing into the sea due to rough weather condition and choppy seas. 

All Goa Purse Seine Boat Owners Association President Harshad Dhond cited two reasons for the low fish catch. “Rough weather conditions and traditional fishermen exploiting the sea during the ban period has resulted in low fish catch,” he said.  

The association alleges that Fisheries Department has failed to strictly implement the ban as traditional fishermen threaten the breeding season by continuing to fish. “The department’s main intention behind the fishing ban is to facilitate fish breeding, but it has failed to implement the ban strictly. Traditional fishermen have violated the norms,” Dhond alleged demanding a ban on traditional fishing as well during the fish breeding season.

The fact that most of the non-Goan workers, who hail from the eastern part of the country, have not returned from their vacation, has also hit the start of the season.

Added to this are the conditions at Malim jetty that is crying for infrastructural upgradation. The association has taken a dig at the Fisheries Directorate for failing to maintain the jetty and take up repair work. 

“All maintenance works are carried out by Mandovi Fishermen Marketing Co-op Society for which not a single rupee is paid by the government. There is acute space crunch with hundreds of trawlers anchored. Moreover, there are no basic facilities like toilets,” Dhond said.

Interestingly, a space has been allotted for fish sale but unhygienic conditions keep away most buyers. “The marketing shed, where the fisherwomen can sell the fish was constructed from the Society’s fund,” Dhond said.

Fisheries Director Shamila Monteiro said that Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) is in the process of retendering to modernize the Malim Jetty, so it will not be correct to invest funds in a project that has already been taken up for modernization. However, the retendering could make the wait for Malim’s revamp a little longer.

Directorate of Fisheries has also reduced the VAT reimbursement on diesel quota to 3000 liters per boat per month, which was unlimited earlier, Dhond claimed, adding that Maharashtra and Karnataka get it for 9000 litres of diesel. “We pay rent of Rs 8 lakh per month then why are we deprived of facilities,” he asked. 

He reiterated that the government has failed to deliver its promise of developing and upgrading Malim jetty to modern standards, as till today the foundation stone has not been placed.