Team Herald
VASCO: On behalf of the traditional fishermen of Goa, Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) general secretary Olencio Simoes on Saturday demanded that the mandatory 61-day fishing ban imposed on mechanised trawlers in the state be extended to 91 days.
“As per a report prepared by central agency, around 90 percent of the fish is caught by trawler owners and large proportion of their catch consists of juvenile fish,” he said.
“We therefore demand that the mandatory 61-day fishing ban imposed on mechanised trawlers in the state be extended to 91 days,” the GRE general secretary said.
He demanded that from next fishing season onwards the Fisheries Department should take strict action against five kilometres fishing ban on mechanised trawlers and against use of LED light and bull trawling at sea. “Despite our repeated requests and warnings, we have seen people using LED lights and carrying out bull trawling at sea,” he said.
“This time if the department fails to act against such destructive fishing, then during next fishing season we would be forced to take law into our hands and for any law and order situation, the state government will be responsible,” the general secretary warned.
