Team Herald
VASCO: Goenchea Raponnkarancho Ekvott (GRE) has said that traditional fishermen have been using low-powered motors to ensure sustainable fishing and that fish is available throughout the year for the people of Goa.
However, GRE lamented that the “the insensitive and negligent purse seine owners ruthlessly want to finish the fishing sector by using all forms of destructive and banned gears, nets, engines and boat size for vested interests. They are even violating the monsoon ban.”
GRE President Agnelo Rodrigues lambasted the ‘All Goa Purse-Seiners Boat Owners’ Association (AGPBOA) General Secretary Sebastiao Cardozo for making false allegations on GRE General Secretary Olencio Simoes.
“By falsely accusing Olencio Simoes, the purse-seiners cannot conceal the illegalities done by them. They know that Simoes has the rationale of a fisherman, knowledge and understands what is best for the fishing community of Goa and India through his hard work, education, experience, observation and interaction with fisherman community,” Rodrigues said.
Rodrigues termed as completely bogus the allegations made by AGPBOA and Goa Fishing Boat Owners Association (GFBOA) that canoe owners are violating the fishing ban by using two outboard motors of 25 hp and 50 feet size canoes. “Goa is the only State where the traditional fishermen use 9.9 hp outboard motors,” he said.
“As per the Supreme Court order 9.9 hp is supposed to be used only during monsoon ban period, but we are using the same 9.9 hp motors throughout the year which no other state does. But in states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and other coastal states after the ban period is lifted the traditional fishermen use upto 50 hp outboard motors for fishing, but we use only 9.9 hp motors,” Rodrigues said in a press release issued here.
The GRE has challenged Sebastiao Cardozo and others from their association to debate Simoes on the subject. “If Cardozo has any evidence to prove the illegalities done by us, then he should accept our demand and have a joint inspection along with the fisheries department,” Rodrigues said.
Rodrigues has reminded the trawler owners not to forget the 1970’s agitation and warned the government, the fisheries minister and the chief minister that if they fail to protect the livelihood of the traditional fishermen by taking action on the fishing ban violation, use of LED lights, high speed engines, illegal boats, nets and violation of 5 km trawling ban, then they would forced to take law in their hands.
