MARGAO: The hustle and bustle has finally returned at the Cutbona fishing jetty as mechanized boat owners geared up for the new fishing season beginning August 1, on the last day of the 61 day fishing ban on July 31.
The boat owner invoked God’s blessing for the new season as a local village priest blessed the vessels and sought divine protection on the workers. Though the rough sea and delay in the arrival of workers from Jharkhand and Orissa forced boat owners to keep their fingers crossed, on Saturday, hectic activity was seen at the fishing jetties in preparation for the new season.
A visit to the fishing jetty revealed that workers were engaged in loading fishing nets and other items in the fishing vessels. Trawlers and purse seine vessels were seen taking trial rounds in River Sal to ensure that the vessels are fit to venture out in the sea on Saturday.
But, the biggest worry facing the boat owners is the rough sea and the non-availability of the work force that could see only 100 out of the 500 boats venture into the sea on day one.
Cutbona trawler boat owners said that there was religious festival in Orrisa and the labourers were also involved in cultivation of fields there and the delay in rains affected their schedule.
Boat owners also felt that the rough weather conditions would certainly come in the way of small boats venturing out in the sea and pointed out that the rough sea may not be a major problem for boat owners at Vasco and Panjim but that the situation is different at Betul, at the mouth of River Sal.
