TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
VASCO: With the fishing ban coming to an end in the State, trawler operators at the Vasco fishing jetty are getting ready to commence fishing operations on August 1, even though only 50% of the labourers have reported to work from their home towns.
Speaking to Herald, Goa Fishing Boat Owners Association President Sydney Furtado said only 50% of the inter-state labourers have reported to work. “Some of the trawlers operators, who have got their full workforce, will venture into the sea on August 1, while other trawlers will leave by August 10,” informed Furtado.
When asked if rough weather would hamper their fishing activity, Furtado said their trawlers are built in such a way that they can withstand the rough weather and extra weight. “All the labourers are provided with life jackets and other emergency equipment,” he added.
Asked if the fishing ban had helped fishermen in the State, Furtado replied: “Scientifically, no one can prove that the ban period helps breeding of fish and that the fish will remain in Goan waters.”
“Once the fish lays eggs, there is no boundary in the sea to prevent fish from growing in the waters of other states and the fishermen from that particular state can always reap the benefits,” he said.
“It is very easy to implement a fishing ban for a particular period, but one cannot assure that the fishermen from Goa will get abundant harvest after the ban,” he added.
Furtado said during fishing ban, the Goan fishermen, local population and the State economy is at the receiving end.
“During the fishing ban, Goan trawlers do not venture out at sea and fish vendors buy fish from Karnataka at a high price, which is then sold to the local population at a higher price.”
“Goan fishermen are at loss as they cannot harvest during the fishing ban, while the local population has to shell out extra money for the fish. Moreover, the economy of the State gets drained as money goes to the other states,” pointed Furtado.
Furtado said if there was no ban, then Goan fishermen could have ventured into the sea. “Fish will be cheaper and the State economy will remain intact as the money will circulate within the State,” he said.
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: A cloud of uncertainty looms over the fishing season which is all set to begin from August 1, as the shortage of workforce has hit trawlers owners across the state.
Even as the 61-day fishing ban concludes on July 31, not more than 25 to 30 per cent of the fish trawling community is ready to set sail for fishing from Thursday. As of today less than 10 per cent of the work force mainly from outside Goa has returned for the new season. This has ensured that only 25 to 30 per cent of the trawlers appear ready to begin fishing operations.
According to reports from the Mandovi Fishermen’s Co-operative Society which has 326 registered trawlers, there is an acute shortage of workforce. “So far we have only 10 per cent of the workforce who have come from Karnataka,” said Menino Afonso, Chairman of MFCS.
He said that labour which has come is from Karnataka who come regularly. Those from Andhra Pradesh, Odissa, Jharkhand have still not arrived in large numbers, Afonso said.
Trains from Jharkhand, he said, arrive only once a week on a Tuesday. Even Tuesday the arrivals were discouraging. “We don’t expect more than 25 to 30 per cent of fishing boats to begin operations for the season from August 1,” he said adding that it would take at least a fortnight before full-fledged fishing begins.
As usual, the fishing community is eyeing the solar prawns in the first 15 days of the season. The other variety will flood the markets thereafter.
For the moment fish prices continue to be high and with shortage of labour, poor weather and uncertainty over commencement of full-fledged fishing operations, fish prices are unlikely to dip.
Afonso Tuesday said that the extension of the fishing ban by 60 days was a good decision of the government. He however said that there should be a blanket ban for all kinds of fishing boats including canoes. He pointed out that many canoes have already started fishing earlier this week and was unfair for the trawler community.
