MARGAO: On an average fish consumption in Goa is 70 to 90 tonnes a day. Margao is the hub of Goa’s fish trade. Maulana Ibrahim operates through 11 other agents who have a monopoly over the fish that arrives at Cutbona jetty. Ibrahim has contacts not only with the Goan fishing trawlers association but also with associations and distributors in other States, since he is the biggest agent and buyer of the fish in Goa.
The trawlers of Cutbona jetty spend days at sea. The type of fish and the quantity of the catch is known to Ibrahim, through his network, one or two days before these trawlers return. For instance, if the catch that is incoming is mackerels, Ibrahim, who has contacts with suppliers from other States, imports mackerels and floods them in the local market. So, when the Goan trawlers reach the dock, they face a grim situation because there is less demand for their fish. Hence, the trawler owners have to accept whatever price is quoted, even if it is half the amount which the owners expect for their catch. This price disruption strategy happens every time trawlers return to dock no matter what type of fish is caught. Trawler owners have no choice but to sell it to Ibrahim. The fish is purchased and handed over to his agents who have their own cold storages.
Last year, some trawlers owners, led by Cutbona Trawlers Association’s former president Sebastiao Cardozo tried to bring in an agent named BSF from Karwar because they were unhappy with the way the 12 agents operate in Cutbona. However, a fight broke out between him and another, who is allegedly close to Ibrahim as well as a local politician, and the agent stepped back. This year, a new system was introduced by the Fisheries Department that required all individuals and agents to be registered with the department and recognised as official buyers. The last date for registration was July 17.
This has become a problem for the existing agents.
Why did SGPDA build a wall and a gate?
The mackerels which come from the neighbouring States come in just after midnight at Madel. The stock may be sold for Rs 200-250 per kilo. The out-of-State trucks are given the best locations for their trucks. Once all the places are occupied, no other seller or fisherman is allowed to sell their fish stock in the market.
Previously, anyone could enter the wholesale fish market. Recently, however, SGPDA built a compound wall and a gate around the wholesale fish market. Since then, after all the out-of-State trucks arrive at the market, the gates are locked.
The local fishermen, are not allowed inside, and have to park their vehicle outside and sell their fish at almost half or quarter the price that is prevalent within the SGPDA walls. The local fishermen also do not get many customers because most of the customers have already purchased fish by around 4 am.
If the fishermen don’t find a customer, Ibrahim’s agents step in and purchase the fish at a lower rate and preserve the same in his cold storages. This fish is also exported.
Is LED fish really bad for Goa’s fishing industry?
The Goa Fishing Export Association president who also happens to be Ibrahim had written to the State and Central government to ban LED fishing, even beyond 12 nautical miles.
The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute researched the issue of LED fishing and prepared a document in 2016 titled ‘Fishing Using Lights: How should India handle this new development’ in which it was stated that most of the fish caught in purse-seines with lights were above their sizes-at-first-maturity, indicating that they would have spawned at least once
before they are caught. The CMFRI could not conclude any negative impact of LED fishing since all the fish caught in their study were old enough to have spawned (laid eggs) at least once. The CMRI had recommended LED fishing outside 12 nautical miles.
However, Goa government, under pressure from the Association banned not just LED fishing in Goan waters but also banned Goan vessels from using LED fishing in international waters in the Arabian Sea.
Interestingly, a section of the fishing industry is also lobbying for restricting the size of trawlers that Goans can own and operate and has also demanded restricting the number of trawlers that can be owned by an individual.
Currently, the Goan trawlers can go up to 12 nautical miles but the real catch is beyond this limit in international waters. This prized fish in the international waters west of Goa is caught by large Karnataka and Maharashtra trawlers that take the catch back to their jetties and this fish in turn is purchased by agents and then imported into Goa where it is sold at a cheap rate.
There is no explanation given by the government on why they want to restrict the size and number of boats that a Goan fisherman can own.
