TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: Canoe owners belonging to over 140 associations have vowed to disregard the government notified fishing ban starting June 1, which from this year onwards also applies to canoes with outboard motors of less than 10 horsepower.
Speaking to the media after a delegation consisting of 14 canoe operators associations met the director of fisheries Shamila Monteiro, Christio D’Souza a leader of the canoe owners said they would consider staying away perhaps only from next year only if the government can this year ensure that no trawlers fish within five kilometres from the coast and they are satisfied that the trawlers stay away from that zone all year round.
“We will not in any way cease operations, either from this June or from any June. We were never shut and never will be shut. Let the boats (trawlers) stay away from the 5km zone all year round, then perhaps next year we might consider staying away from fishing during the monsoon (ban period),” D’Souza told reporters.
He said that the families depend on the daily income they earn from the fishing. “We do not earn like how the trawler owners earn and neither can we go as far as the trawler owners can. We earn Rs 200-300 a day. We wish to tell the chief minister that the rule should not apply to us. We shall not remain silent and are not going to obey this rule,” D’Souza.
Joaquim Mendes said that they were opposed to the lack of uniformity in the ban. “If the ban is on, why are the fish markets open? Then fish from Maharashtra and Karnataka comes. Secondly our coastline is only 104 kms long they have longer coastlines. The ban should be applicable to everyone,” Mendes said.
The canoe owners also cited a Supreme Court order which allowed them to fish during this period.
