The State Fisheries Department has swung into action putting up measures in place to tackle LED fishing and bull trawling on seas. All mechanised fishing boats will now have to go through a mandatory inspection and obtain passes before venturing out for fishing. A 24x7 helpline to receive complaints against LED fishing is another move to keep a tab on the violation.
However, the fisheries department has not disclosed the operative part of its plan. The court has asked the coastal police to inspect vessels for any equipment that is used for LED fishing or bull trawling, or artificial lights, and refrain such vessels from going into the sea with such equipment. The court has put the onus on the department and the coastal police to consider whether generators are necessary on vessels at sea.
Boat owners have been arguing that they use generators while venturing out in deep seas as a backup, should the boat motor fail. The bigger vessels equip themselves with the generator because they have to make a provision to keep the onboard cold storage running. On the flip side, it is common knowledge that a generator could be deceivingly used in the deep sea for LED fishing because there is no maritime surveillance. Out of the 897 mechanised registered trawlers, nearly 400 are reported to have been adopting LED fishing methods.
The fisheries department faces a dilemma of sorts and will have a tough decision to make. Denying boats the use of generators could eventually turn out to be a risky proposition given the fact that they are at sea. Eventually, it is this decision that could be decisive.
If we may recall, the State government, vide a notification banned LED fishing in 2016 when Avertano Furtado was the fisheries minister. The ban was effected after fishermen complained that such form of fishing is leading to depletion and fish famine in Goa waters. Instructions were then issued to impound trawlers with such lights, but despite all efforts, the authorities had failed to enforce the ban.
Secondly, while the checks will be in place at the four jetties that are currently active for fishing, the fisheries department has not disclosed plans on how it will proceed with surveillance of other privately-used fishing landing areas. Boats could bypass the jetties to skip the checks thereby leaving them free to undertake LED fishing. How does the department tackle such violations?
The enforcement of the LED fishing ban failed primarily because the fishing department fell short of resources and lacked intent against the background that the majority of the trawler owners wanted LED fishing. Can the High Court intervention help this time? What remains to be seen is how the department copes with the screening system given the logistical difficulties it could face in checking hundreds of vessels after every trip. Also, it remains to be seen how seriously the fisheries department takes the issue and whether it will go with the letter and spirit of the court order.
