PANJIM: Fisheries Minister Vinod Palyekar has asked the Department to crack down on fishing using LED lights despite the ban by the Union Government.
While stating that LED light fishing will kill the fishing trade, Palyekar said it is the need of the hour to protect the interests of traditional fishermen and finish the mafia raj in the fishing industry.
“In order to curb LED fishing activities, I have directed my officers to form a special squad that will inspect jetties and confiscate LED equipment, including the generator fitted to on the vessel,” he said.
The Minister further said that cases will be booked against fishermen caught with LED equipment in their vessels and they will be penalised. “I have instructed the department to submit to me a weekly report on action taken,” he added.
Traditional fishermen had been complaining of the use of LED lights for fishing despite the ban by the government.
Herald, in its Monday edition, had reported grievance raised by fishermen from Mallim jetty that some fishermen from Goa were still using LED lights for fishing in the deep seas despite the ban, which was having an impact on the entire fishing trade in the State.
Last month the Union Government had banned bull trawling and prohibited LED lights and fishing light attractors on mechanised fishing vessels.
Palyekar also said that the Fisheries Department has released subsidies of almost Rs 1.38 crore to traditional fishermen for the current financial year.
