Andrea Fernandes
andrea@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA: The ban on fishing has led to soaring of prices of fish in Mapusa. At the Mapusa market, there is a limited variety of fish available for sale during the monsoon, whereas in various villages of the constituency, there is enough local fish available for consumption.
Currently, there is a ban till July 31 on fishing for mechanized trawlers but traditional fishermen have been allowed to venture in to the sea but rough weather has prevented them from doing so.
The fish in the market is currently procured from outside the State or through the medium of small fishing trawlers and canoes that are venturing into the sea.
While speaking to a fish vendor, Walwalkar it came to light that the fish they are selling is from outside the state.
“Currently we do not get fish supply here in Goa as the trawlers are not allowed to venture into the waters during the monsoon. We get fish from Kerala and few other places. We have to sell some kind of fish because the people of Goa want fish, said a fish vendor Walwalkar. She added that currently the fish is being procured from outside the State as they do not have any other option and that selling fish is their only source of income.
“Fish is a part of our staple diet and we Goans cannot do without fish. In the market prawns, crabs, lepo, mackerel and little other variety of fish are available. I do not know whether these are from the cold storage or being brought from outside Goa. However, despite the formalin scare, we Goans cannot do without our fish,” said Anita Fernandes, a customer at the Mapusa market.
