MARGAO: Niz Ramponkarancho Ekvott (NRE), comprising of traditional ramponkars, magkars and cantalkars from Benaulim, on Friday proposed to the Director of Fisheries to set up a triangular partnership model with a state-of-the-art shrimps and fin fish hatchery, in Benaulim.
The organisation with 577 registered traditional fishermen as members, handed over a proposal with a detailed project report on how the 10 acres of land in Benaulim can be best utilised with the triangular partnership model, wherein the government, the bidder for the project and most importantly the local traditional fishermen, can benefit from it.
“Keeping in mind that having younger generations participating in the fishing activities will only boost the economy, for this a long term planning to preserve the traditional fishermen community is the need of today. In an attempt to generate interest among the new generation, to promote them to indulge in fishing activities and referring to the government advertisement on expression of interest towards setting up a state-of-the-art shrimp and fin fish hatchery, at Benaulim has been proposed,” stated Edel Barretto of Niz Ramponkarancho Ekvott.
“The association has proposed that the government should go for a joint venture triangular partnership, including the government (60 per cent), the private partner/investor (20 per cent) and the fishermen community of Benaulim represented by NRE (20 per cent) stake,” the NRE mentioned.
“Considering that the entire land available is approximately 45,000 sq mts plus, although the development of prawn hatchery can be done in three to four acres of land (approximately16,000 sq mts), the expression of interest talks of redeveloping of 10 acres of land which is (approximately 40,468 sq mts), the fishermen community have come up with the detailed presentation to set up the state-of-the-art fishing activity village covering about 4,000 sq mts, which should be part of the 10 acres of land redeveloping project,” said the association.
Captain Venzy Viegas from Benaulim, who has helped the association in preparing the comprehensive proposal said, “This is a unique proposal that has been placed by the NRE before the government.”
“The government after government have been saying that they want to protect the interests of fishermen and this is the time to show or do that,” said Venzy, adding that the next generations of fishermen will take up fishing for their living and the tradition will continue.
