MARGAO: Amid the 61-day annual fishing ban that commenced on June 1, traditional fishermen in Goa are raising an alarm about the shocking intrusion of trawlers from neighbouring States into their territorial waters.
Despite the ban applying to all motorised boats and trawlers along the western coast, local fishermen claim authorities are failing to take adequate action against these rampant violations.
Fishermen from the Salcete and Mormugao coastal belt lament having to alert the coastal police themselves about boats from Maharashtra and Karnataka illegally plying their waters.
They pointed out that in the few instances where these trespassers were apprehended in the recent past, it was only with the assistance of local fishermen providing their boats or guiding the authorities to the trawlers’ locations.
They alleged that the influx of outside trawlers has severely impacted the livelihood of Goan fishermen, as they suffered from significant decline in this year’s catch. Olencio Simoes, General Secretary of the Goenchea Ramponnkarancho Ekvott (GRE), expressed dismay over how these trawlers from outside Goa have been plundering their fishing grounds unchecked.
“This monsoon ban is for the proper spawning of marine species and regeneration of resources during the breeding season. If these trawlers kill all the baby fish now, what will be left in the future? The quantity is already dwindling,” Simoes said.
Despite numerous complaints, fishermen decry the authorities’ apathy, citing delayed responses from coastal police and fisheries department officials who often arrive too late to intervene effectively. They pointed out that this delay isn’t solely due to inefficiency but also a lack of adequate resources such as boats to address such infractions.
Pele Fernandes, a traditional fisherman from Benaulim, echoed similar sentiments, pointing out that the fleet of outside fishing boats has left local fishermen in the lurch with no action forthcoming from the authorities.
“When these vessels fish illegally close to our coast via bull trawling, they destroy marine resources. The traditional fishermen are the victims of bull trawling and LED lights by these outside vessels,” said Fernandes.
To combat this crisis, local fishermen have proposed that the government provide the coastal police and relevant authorities with more interceptor boats to prevent foreign fishing vessels from operating near Goa’s shores. One fisherman noted that they currently have only one interceptor vessel, which isn’t enough to cover the entire coastline, and emphasized the need for at least five boats to keep these trespassers at bay effectively.
They added that the onus is now on the authorities to act swiftly and decisively, safeguarding the State’s marine ecosystem and the rights of its traditional fishing communities.
