Team Herald
MARGAO: Four days into the new fishing season, which started under the shadow of an Orange Alert from the IMD, boat owners remain hopeful for favourable weather for the remainder of the monsoon season, which would make it easier to head out and be out at sea for their fishing expeditions. However, the IMD has extended the Orange Alert to Sunday.
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At the Cutbona fishing jetty, the largest fishing hub in South Goa, there has been a flurry of activity with workers busy loading fishing nets and ice into boats moored in the River Sal.
Reports indicate that over 50% of the migrant workforce has arrived at the jetty. Boat owners had previously travelled to Odisha and Jharkhand to secure the necessary manpower.
Boat owners added that most of the labourers have either already arrived or are en route.
Addressing the grim weather forecast of heavy rains and strong winds, the boat owners acknowledged the challenging weather conditions but noted that this would not prevent all boats from venturing out as some have tried.
Discussing the ongoing navigational challenges at the Cutbona fishing jetty, they touched upon the long-awaited backwater facility at the mouth of the River Sal in Betul, which would greatly improve navigation for the fishing vessels. It maybe recalled that Velim MLA Cruz Silva had raised this issue in the ongoing Assembly session and questioned the delay in starting work on this project which would provide relief to the fishing community at Cutbona.
Trawler owners however, were irked with being targeted by the Fisheries Department and questioned why no action was taken on motorised canoes that had ventured out to the sea before the fishing ban was lifted. They lamented that despite numerous motorised canoes being at sea in the weeks prior, the Fisheries Department seems focused only on the activities at the jetties in Cutbona, Vasco, and Malim.
Savio D’Silva, former president of the Cutbona Boat Owners Union, also spoke about the need for protection against the fish agent syndicates. “This year, the price of solar shrimp is poor. The government must protect boat owners from unfair pricing, or the fishing industry will suffer greatly,” he stated.
Meanwhile, earlier this week, the Cutbona Boat Owners Federation held a meeting with fish agents at the jetty.
After the meeting, D’Silva stated that the boat owners have urged the Fisheries Department to shield fishermen from dishonest agents who fail to clear their dues.
