MARGAO: In a major fallout of the recent crisis, for the first time in years, the Cutbona Boat Owners’ Union has split and a separate union of purse seine trawlers formed.
Around 140 deep sea trawler owners split and formed a different society – Cutband Purseiners Development Society (CPDS). The new alliance has alleged that the controversy of use of LED lights surfaced out of jealousy and after some middlemen and agents incited small-time fishermen. The purseiners have decided to go ahead with their fishing with lights claiming that their fishing zone is beyond the limits of small-time fishermen and it won’t affect marine ecology.
CPDS met the Fisheries Department director and explained their stand and approach towards fishing. The purseiners, who are large-scale fishermen fishing in the deep sea and international waters, alleged that the false propaganda of the LED lights has been started by jealous fishermen who don’t want to go beyond traditional fishing. CPDS also alleged that there is a definite hand of agents and middlemen who import fish as their business has taken a beating after the Goa purseiners got a good catch for local markets and made fish more affordable.
“We spoke to the Fisheries Director and explained the idea of using LED lights in deep sea fishing. We also explained that no marine ecology or spawning of fish is affected by this. Fisheries Department has assured to help us in our endeavours in all ways,” CPDS president Elvis Gomes said. “The fishing of these small-time fishermen is not simple. Their motors beefed up to 20 HP, using of undersized 18 cm meshed net, bull trawling in shallow waters and other bad practices are finishing the spawning and not our lighting and techniques,” Gomes alleged.
“After we started aggressive business investing crores of rupees production has increased. This has decreased the price of fish in the market and that is what is affecting the middlemen and the agents,” explained Minguel Rodrigues.
“We are not against government policies but we think there needs to be some change to it to nurture growth of the fishing business,” said Gomes.
The newly formed society has also made other demands with regard to infrastructure support and approvals such as high frequency wireless or satellite phones on the trawlers engaged in deep sea fishing.
