Team Herald
PANJIM: Frustrated with the inaction of the Fisheries Department on marauding Malpe trawlers plundering fish in Goan waters, a traditional fisherman spoke in Hindi, because he said the Fisheries Director cannot understand Konkani.
“She is IAS and talks in Hindi. First time a Goan fisherman is forced to talk in Hindi,” Joaquim Mendes, a traditional fisherman from Nerul said, as he laboured over his Hindi. “I cannot speak Hindi, but I’m trying to make her understand our problems,” Mendes added.
“For years the fisheries department is telling us we have to study issues such as LED fishing, marauding Malpe Trawlers, bull trawling within 5 kilometres. Why can’t they understand that our survival depends on fish?" Mendes said.
Elaborating further about the problem which threatens their livelihood, Mendes reiterated that Malpe trawlers are plundering Goan coast.
"Both Maharashtra and Karnataka have a huge coastline. They are not allowed to fish in Malpe coastal waters, so them come here and plunder our fish," Mendes said. They use powerful motors, even if we chase them they return with bigger fleets, he said.
Meanwhile, Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) has reacted strongly to Coast Guard DIG Manoj Bhatia’s statement that anybody is free to fish in any State’s waters. The DIG made this statement at a meeting called by Goa Fisheries Minister at the Secretariat, Porvorim where Coast Guard, Marine police and fisheries department officials met on Thursday.
“We are shouting hoarse to stop the Malpe trawlers from finishing our fish catch in Goan waters. If the Fisheries Minister had an interest to protect the livelihood of traditional Goans fishermen, he should have called the Karnataka Minister, Karnataka Fisheries Director and the Coastal Security Police for a meeting with us. The Coast Guard does not know what is legal and illegal,” Fisherman Custodio D’Souza said.
Flagging a viral video, D’Souza said, “The DIG Coast Guard is quoted as saying ‘anyone can do fishing anywhere. Nothing is illegal’. The Fisheries Minister should have told the Coast Guard that there are rules governing fishermen of various States, which the Coast Guard does not know.”
Premjit Sirsaikar, a fishing business owner from North Goa said, "We strongly condemn the statement of DIG Coast Guard. He has no right to interfere. Coastal Security Police are supposed to guard the coast within 12 nautical miles. The jurisdiction of the Coast Guard starts after that. There are restrictions for fishing trawlers and purse seiners."
“Two hundred horsepower (HP) engines are allowed for fishing trawlers and 300 HP are allotted to the purse seiners. The boats from Malpe have 500 to 700 HP engines. Twenty-five boats come at a time and plunder the fish within 12 nautical miles of the Goans coast, even as they are banned,” Sirsaikar said.
Olencio Simoes, General Secretary, GRE said, “The Fisheries Department is mandated to protect the maritime waters of the State. So why is the department shying away from this responsibility? In the High Court also the department said they have bigger responsibilities, it looks like they are under someone’s pressure. The fishermen are appealing to the department to protect the maritime environment of the State.”