Team Herald
CALANGUTE: Dolphin boat owners at the Sinquerim jetty after lower than expected business in the last season have decided that no more boats should be given licences to operate from the jetty which is popular with tourists visiting Candolim beach and Fort Aguada.
With the number of boats at the Sinquerim jetty having increased over the years, and the number of tourists going on dolphin boat trips decreasing, the Sinquerim-Candolim Watersports Association (SCWA), which manages the jetty, is shutting the door on new boats. Currently, 196 dolphin boats operate from the Sinquerim jetty.
According to the SCWA members, they have written to the Captain of Ports, Tourism Department and others that no more boats should be given licences to operate from the Sinquerim jetty. The existing 196 boats are enough and there is no scope to add more boats, they said.
From less than 100 boats only a few years ago, the number shot up to 196 boats in the last few years. While earlier only Sinquerim residents could operate from the jetty, boat owners from other parts of Candolim were also allowed at the jetty over the years with demand for boat trips going up.
However, stakeholders said with 196 boats and only around 100 boat trips per day, with around 800-1000 customers during peak season, it was time they froze the number of boats. During slack days there are less trips. Last season saw fewer tourists going on the boat trips, with all boat owners getting fewer trips, leading to the decision to stop any more boats joining the association, members said.
With beach shack licenses being renewed early this year, watersports boat owners are also expecting an early start to the season. “Most of the boat owners have already renewed their licenses because now it's online. The Captain of Ports will be deciding on Monday the date from which we can start. Most probably trips will start in the first week of October. It also depends on the sea conditions. Even if we're allowed to start early, we cannot take tourists out if the sea condition is rough because that will be putting them at risk,” SCWA members said.