MARGAO: The fishing season will draw to a close on May 31; but the issues pertaining to getting the required manpower for the next season and the hardship caused to boat/trawler owners at Cutbona jetty due to sandbar formation at mouth of River Sal will continue to haunt them in future too.
The fishermen have claimed that this fishing season has been very satisfactory and said that they are shutting down their business for the next 61 days on a positive note.
A visit to Cutbona jetty, one of the biggest fishing jetties of Goa, revealed that several fishermen have already anchored their trawlers/boats and hundreds of labourers have started packing their bags to return to their native places. The early arrival of monsoon has also prevented the fishermen from venturing into the sea.
Hoping for some more catch, a few boat/trawler owners will venture into the sea for the last time next week before dropping anchor in River Sal. The fishermen said several migrant labourers have already booked their railway tickets to return to their native places and a few already moved out of the State.
Speaking to Herald, the Cutbona Boats/Trawlers Association members and few trawler owners
appeared satisfied with the fishing season, when compared to last year.
It is pertinent to note that the long 61-day fishing ban on mechanised fishing comes into force from June 1, and with a few days left, most fishing vessels have already dropped anchor, and several workers have wrapped up the nets and have stored them at safer places. Many boat/trawler owners have already relieved their workers.
The Herald revealed that few have planned to make a last trip into the sea, before dropping the anchor.
End of the fishing season became evident at the jetty as many trawlers were seen clearing and cleaning the trawlers for the last time, and migrant workers employed on the fishing vessels as Khalashis are gearing up to leave for their native States. Majority of the workers are expected to leave Goa by first week of June and are expected to return after a two-month break.
Goa’s mechanised fishing industry is totally dependent on migrant manpower. It is not uncommon to find boat owners travelling to Jharkhand, Orissa or Andhra Pradesh in search of workers before the fishing season.
Franco Martins, President of Cutbona Boats/Trawlers Association said the migrant workforce would start leaving the jetties for their native states from June 3. However, the haunt for the manpower will continue before the start of the next season.
“Fishing season this year was satisfactory as compared to 2021. The overall business turnover of more than 500 boats/trawlers is in crores of rupees’ ‘, he said.
He said many have already anchored their vessels and few of the labourers have moved to their native places.
“Yes, the issue pertaining to manpower continues to haunt the boat/trawler owners. We are not sure that these labourers will be available during the next season. Fishermen are struggling a lot due to the labour force, as they have to fully depend on the outside labourers”, said Franco.
Dinesh Tari, a boat owner, said unloading fishing nets from the vessels has begun. Nets unloaded from the vessels were either kept for drying along the main road leading to the jetty or were transported to the residences of the boat owners.
“The fishing season was very satisfactory. Many of us will not be able to enter the sea due to bad weather in the last few days, but overall it was a good season”, he added.
Gobin Singh, a labourer from Odisha said he is happy to return back to his native place in the next couple of days.
“We have already booked our train ticket to leave Goa, after 10 months of service on the trawlers”, he said. However, at the same time, he said he is not sure when he would return to Goa for the next fishing season.
Mohamad Sajid, a fish agent said the fishing season was more than satisfactory, as they were able to recover the losses incurred during the COVID pandemic.
Meanwhile, the deposition of sandbar at the mouth of River Sal continues to create hardship to the trawlers at Cutbona jetty, as the issue has remained unresolved. The fishermen want the government to resolve this issue at least before the next season begins.
The Cutbona Boats/Trawlers Association complained that the fishing activities continue to be hampered due to the sandbar at the mouth of the river. The condition of the mouth of the river is bad and, hence, trawlers are able to venture into the sea.
“The sandbar at the mouth of the River Sal restricts the fishermen on several occasions. Neither the fishing boats can go out nor the boats that have ventured out to sea can come in during low tide. They can move in and out only during high tide”, said Franco.
It is pertinent to note that earlier several incidents of boats capsize were reported here due to sandbar. Fishermen want a retaining wall to prevent the formation of sandbars at the mouth of the River Sal.
