BICHOLIM: A delegation including the trawler owners met Goa Assembly Speaker, Dr Pramod Sawant requesting to resolve the stalemate over the fishing trade in the State.
The delegation led by All Goa Purse Seine Trawler Owners’ Association President, Harshad Dhond expressed great concern over the ban on fish imports in the state which has led to about 50 Goan trucks being held in detention by the locals in Karnataka.
Dhond said that the issue has not affected only Goa but also other states including Karnataka, Maharastra and Kerala. “Our trucks have been detained by the locals on the Karnataka border. They are neither allowing the trucks to export fish to Karnataka nor releasing our detained trucks”, he stated.
“The problem is very grave and now we have started giving our fish to the fish meal,” Dhond said adding “because of this we are not even getting ten per cent of the cost so we are forced to stop fishing”.
All Goa Fishing Trawlers Association, ex-president Sitakant Parab said that because of FDA rules the fishing industry is about to collapse. “Because of the FDA and formalin problem we are not even able to export our fish to Kerala and other states as the people from border states have started their agitation against us,” he said.
Sawant, who is also the Sanquelim MLA, said he is trying to get the issue resolved as early as possible. “Their problems are related to the FDA and formalin. The import and export has stopped because of this issue and this should not have happened. If they are following proper rules and fulfilling all the formalities this import and export should have been carried on,” he said.
Sawant further said that fish imported from the neighbouring states should have been tested or there should have been random checks so that Goa gets good quality fish.
“There should be some mechanism that should be worked out to test the fish otherwise total fishing industry which is linked to four states would get affected”, he added.
The Speaker expressed concern over the entire issue and said if the industry is affected now then the entire season will be lost. “I have received the representation from the people from Karnataka and also the Karnataka CM. I have written to our Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar and discussed the matter with the Chief Secretary. Tomorrow I am personally meeting the CM over this issue as this matter should be resolved as early as possible,” Sawant informed.
Sanquelim councillors, Rajesh Sawal and Dayanand Boryekar were also present during the discussion.
