VASCO
The All Goa Fishing Boat Owners Association (AGFBOA) on Friday decided to meet the fisheries department and demand that they too be permitted to catch solar shrimps during the fishing ban period.
The AGFBOA had convened an emergency meet to discuss the illegal fishing activity by traditional fishermen in Velsao and the subsequent huge catch of solar prawns offloaded from around 60 boats.
Speaking to reporters, AGFBOA President Jose Philip D’Souza hit out at Congress leader and GRE member Olencio Simoes for having turned a blind eye to illegal fishing by Velsao fishermen.
“I am unsure if Simoes is a fisherman or if he has any canoes but he is always in the forefront to hit out at trawler owners and make allegations against us of using bull trawling and LED lights. But he has gone into hibernation after the fisheries department fined his own members who have admitted having carried out fishing during the ban,” said D’Souza.
“While it is true that solar shrimps need to be caught immediately but the share of catch should not be restricted to traditional fishermen only but also for small boat owners who are our members,” he added.
D’Souza said trawler owners can begin activity after the fishing ban because they engage in deep sea fishing, but small boats owners who are already struggling should be allowed to catch solar prawns so that they also get a share of the fish and repay their loans.
“I request the fisheries department to permit our small boat owners also for fishing for solar prawns during this period,” said D’Souza.
AGFBOA member Seby D’Souza said they will be left with no solar shrimps if they venture into the sea after August 1.
“We small boat owners have decided that no matter what action the fisheries department takes or who comments against us, we will venture in the seas from Saturday and fish solar prawns that are available in plenty now,” said D’Souza.
