MARGAO: Fishermen from Velim, Betul and the surrounding areas have urged the Fisheries Department to carry out an inspection of purse-seine trawlers at Cutbona Jetty and alleged that these big boats are operating with illegal equipment like LED lights and banned generators.
“The statement of the Fisheries Department in the High Court that all vessels are inspected before venturing out at sea is false, as the vessels lying idle on the jetty have generators on the deck,” said one such fishermen who wishes to remain anonymous out of fear of facing retaliation from the trawler owners.
While these fishermen have taken pictures of the alleged violations, they referred to the recent proceedings in the High Court on this matter and questioned how such violations are still taking place.
It may be recalled that the State government had submitted an affidavit to the HC stating it had sent a proposal to the Central government asking for funding to purchase 12 boats, five patrol vessels for the Fisheries Department and seven
patrol vessels for the
coastal police to conduct patrolling in the territorial waters of Goa.
The State government has also stated that in order to curb illegal fishing practices like LED fishing and bull trawling, a crackdown was necessary. The government said for sustainable fishing, it was setting up a marine enforcement wing that would have the strength of 58 government personnel, which would include the superintendent of fisheries as well as the police inspector and sub-inspector.
“There is a definite and immediate requirement of repairing or replacing the patrol boats used by the Coast Guard. However, it is equally important that the Fisheries Department catches violators from within Goa itself; these violators have been identified but always escape,” said Olencio Simoes, General Secretary of the National Fishworkers Forum and Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott.
