the goan I network
PANAJI
Fisheries department was exposed hollow at the Cutbona fishing jetty as its takeover of the fishing jetty ended up in utter chaos and confusion on Day one of the fishing season, even as the jetty resembled a fortress with the government deploying a strong posse of policemen to maintain law and order.
Margao Sub-divisional Magistrate Margao Uday Prabhudesai, DySP Raju Raut Desai, Executive Magistrate Manoj Korgaonkar and Fisheries deputy Director C Velip were all present at the jetty as the issues concerning docking of vessels and the agents that would be allowed to conduct business at the jetty came to the fore throughout Wednesday.
Both the SDM Uday Prabhudesai and DySP Raju Raut Desai pulled up the fisheries officials for their failure to put things in order since the department had taken over the jetty this year as per the high court order. The two senior officials demanded to know from the fisheries officials, including deputy Director Velip the steps they had taken to arrange berthing facilities for the vessels and the agents eligible to buy fish at the jetty.
Small fishing boat which had returned back with small catch of fish had to anchor their vessels in the river as there was no place at the jetty to dock the vessels since the space was occupied by big boats which did not go out for fishing for want of manpower. They demanded to know who will compensate them if the fish turnsbecomes stale since it is a perishable commodity.
A group of small boat owners sought to know from the SDM and the DySP how they are supposed to dispose of their fish since they cannot dock their vessels at the jetty.
On the contentious issues of agents, the 12 agents, which were doing business at the jetty all these years when the jetty was managed by the Cutbona Boat Owners Union were also present at the jetty demanding space to carry out their business. They pointed out that they will buy the fish as usual if necessary space free from hurdles is created for them at the jetty.
Adding to the confusion was the registration of around 19 agents with the fisheries department, who are now awaiting demarcation of plots at the jetty to start their activities. Questions did the rounds at the fishing jetty whether the fisheries department will accommodate the 19 agents registered with it along with the 12 agents, which were doing business at the jetty over the years.
The issue of token system also came to fore with members owing allegiance to the Cutbona Boat Owners Union, making it clear that they will follow the token system of docking at the jetty, only if the fisheries department mandates all boats entering river Sal to dock at the Cutbona jetty.
Union president Savio D’Silva told the media that small boat owners will suffer the queue system if unloading of fish is allowed on the Cavelossim side of the river Sal. “We will agree to the token system if all boats are mandated to dock at the Cutbona fishing jetty”, Savio said. In the meantime, the fisheries officials were trying to clear the fishing boats anchored at the jetty to make way for boats carrying fish to anchor and sell the fish to the jetty.
