MARGAO: Against the backdrop of an ultimatum issued by LED opponents to the Fisheries Department, purse-seine fishermen have criticised their detractors for indulging in an orchestrated attack against them on the LED issue, which they said was a witch hunt.
Reiterating that they were not doing anything wrong and they had conveyed this in writing and orally to the Chief Minister and Fisheries Department, the purse-seiners claimed that the ‘smear campaign’ had started ever since they had stopped the monopoly at wholesale fish markets. They pointed out that the rates of fish had dropped significantly and remained low during the peak season, and for this reason, those who currently controlled the market were disgruntled.
The purse seiners further said that, earlier, the Goan markets were filled with fish that was imported from other States at a high rate, which was profiting only agents, and that their efforts to bring down the cost of fish should have been welcomed.
They have also expressed willingness to take over the wholesale fish market in South Goa, which is currently in a bad condition. They added that the vested interests that control the market were influencing the ongoing protests and misguiding the government that the purse seiners’ methods were dangerous.
The purse seiners also mocked suggestions that LED lights meant electrocuting fish and stated that they had scientific proof that their methods were not damaging the market. They added that the fish they caught was different from the fish that the ramponkars caught.
Regarding the ban on night fishing, the purse seiner reiterated that it did not affect them as they fished out of Goan territory, beyond 12 nautical miles, and questioned the use of gill nets at night by a section of trawler owners that were opposing LED lights.
They further alleged that a group of agitating ramponkars were calling themselves traditional fishermen when they were using mechanised boats. They also demanded to know why the ramponkars were not calling for a ban of LED lights used by trawlers from neighbouring States, where there was no such ban. They also gave the example of Kerala, where scientists had endorsed and carried out studies that push for the use of LED lights, and added that one has to adopt technology advancements to survive in the market. They recalled how the past market conditions had produced poor results.
