MARGAO: Traditional fishermen Fed up with the authorities turning a blind eye to their repeated complaints about trawlers using LED lights that too in waters where such big boats are not authorised to enter, traditional fishermen used drones to capture proof of such illegal activity.
Ahead of the visit of Union Minister for Fisheries Parshottam Rupala to Goa on Friday, the traditional fishermen are hoping that they have strong enough proof to make the authorities finally open their eyes to the truth and to stop portraying a false reality to the public and more importantly, the courts. They further added that the Minster received similar demands for the implementation of the ban on LED lights from traditional fishermen in Maharashtra during his recent visit there.
In the drone footage, which consists of videos and photographs, a trawler off the coast of Baina can be seen with LED lights attached on all its sides, carrying out what is described as LED fishing.
They added that this is happening across the State right from the coast of Arambol to that of Canacona and lamented that all the fish from the sea is taken by these big trawlers, which has forced nearly 90% of traditional fishermen to stop going out to the sea.
“There are four aspects to this. First is that they are using LED lights which were banned by the Central government in all coastal areas in the country.
The same Union Fishing Ministry banned this in the year 2017 and had banned other things too, which are being violated by the trawler owners,” said traditional fishermen on the condition of anonymity, as they fear retribution from the powerful trawler owners.
“Secondly, we discovered that this is happening at eight nautical miles from the coast. All state governments have banned entry of trawler owners within 12 nautical miles while the Central government bans it within 200 nautical miles. Yet, this is happening and no action is taken when we raise this issue,” they added.
“Thirdly, this matter is presently sub-judice but the State fisheries department has given assurances to the court that it has taken all possible action against LED lights and that such activity is not taking place. We have shown that it is still happening,” they added.
“Finally, we also realised how they escape the law. There have been checks done by the Fisheries Department at the jetties to see that no LED lights are installed and some boats that had it were confiscated. But here, there is a boat that is permanently in the sea.
When the sun goes down, they start using the lights. Then other trawlers come to and they exchange the caught fish at sea itself and these other trawlers come back to the jetties to unload,” the fishermen added. Incidentally, in the past, fishermen as well activists would point to the horizon of the sea where there would be green glow from these trawler boats having LED lights.
Organizations representing traditional fishermen and small boat
owners in Goa have been demanding for years that there be better checks on the part of the authorities to ensure that ppno trawler owner is using LED lights.
