VASCO: Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) General Secretary Olencio Simoes and fishermen union submitted a memorandum to the deputy director fisheries department demanding action against illegal use of LED lights, bull trawling and those using high speed engine (China engine).
Simoes said that around 80,000 people are involved in fishing for centuries. “But due to the use of destructive fishing gears by trawler owners, our future lies in stake,” he said
Simoes said that the use of LED lights, bull trawling and high speed engine by trawlers clearly violated the law of Goa Marine Fishing Regulation Act.
“These destructive gears will destroy our livelihood and marine ecology of our State. Therefore we demand immediate impounding of LED lights used within the territorial water — 12 nautical miles,” he said.
Simoes said that LED lights generate intense heat and destroys juvenile fish, corals and marine vegetation. “The use of LED lights will totally destroy marine ecology and the fish will become totally extinct,” he added.
GRE President Agnelo Rodrigues said, “The illegal use of high speed engine are today mostly used by purse seiner trawlers and they have increased their engine capacity upto 500 hp which again violates the Goa Marine Fishing Regulation Act. The boats fitted with such engines exploit the marine resources as they use destructive fishing methods like bull trawling, bottom trawling, trawling etc.”
Claiming that all fishing jetties have already acquired these destructive gears for the upcoming season, Agnelo said, “Therefore we request all officials concerned to immediately impound the illegal use of LED lights, China engine and stop bull trawling before the season starts (on August 1).”
Agnelo has threatened that if the authorities do not act, then the traditional fishermen would be compelled to take law into their own hands and the present government would be solely responsible of any untoward incidents.
