MARGAO: As the new fishing season approaches, the Cutbona Boat Owners Federation has requested the government to grant them the authority to manage the fishing jetty here, under the guidance of the Fisheries Department.
The Federation has requested permission from the Fisheries director to undertake several improvements at the jetty. These include the installation of CCTV cameras, street lights, bollards, and a water pipeline to enhance cleanliness and maintenance. Boat owners have raised multiple complaints about the non-functional street lights and incidents of theft from fishing vessels docked at the jetty during the off-season.
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This recent letter to the Fisheries director follows a meeting of the Federation’s managing committee held at the jetty earlier this month. During this meeting, members discussed numerous issues affecting the jetty and emphasized the need for urgent action to address deficiencies and ensure efficient operations.
Despite the Federation’s proactive stance, they have yet to receive response from the Fisheries Minister or director regarding their request.
The Federation’s appeal to regulate and oversee the jetty under the Fisheries Department’s guidance is crucial, as the department has managed the jetty for several years.
Additionally, the Federation has asked the Fisheries Department to allow them to register fish traders directly. This measure is intended to protect boat owners from financial losses when traders fail to pay their dues. Currently, the department registers fish traders and collects fees, but boat owners argue that it does not take responsibility when traders default on payments.
The Federation has also proposed that the Fisheries Department require an NOC from the Federation for the purchase or transfer of trawlers operating out of the Cutbona jetty. This move aims to ensure that operations remain orderly and secure at the increasingly busy hub.
The Federation’s request is important, given the backdrop of tension since the Fisheries Department assumed control of the Cutbona fishing jetty a few years ago. Since that takeover, boat owners have frequently clashed with the department over inadequate services and poor maintenance.
It may be recalled that in the ongoing Assembly session, Velim MLA Cruz Silva raised the issues over the jetty’s poor condition and had asked the Fisheries Minister to take cognizance and intervene.
Silva also criticized the Fisheries Department for having furnished him the same replies in the last few assembly sessions, which he pointed out spoke poorly over the Department’s first-hand information about the jetty, since the replies have not reflected the true situation on the ground.
He also lamented that a new toilet facility is not functional and such type of sanitation facilities were required given the size of the migrant labour force and added that all this needs to be tackled as soon as possible given that the new fishing season begins on August 1.
