Say fishing ban should be imposed across India's west coast and country-made boats with double engines should be banned
Cutbona-based boat owners under the banner of Cutbona Boat Owners Federation agree for extension of the fishing ban from July 31 to August 15.
MARGAO
With the Fisheries Survey of India, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying mulling a proposal to extend the fishing ban period from June 1st to July 31 to June 1 to August 15, Boat owners operating from the State’s biggest fishing hub, Cutbona fishing jetty has given a conditional nod for the fishing ban extension.
After the Fisheries department sought comments on the fishing stakeholders to the Government of India’s exercise to extend the fishing ban to 76 days from 61 days, i.e. August 15 from July 31, Boat owners under the banner of Cutbona Boat Owners have agreed for the fishing ban extension to August 15.
The Federation, however, had set two conditions for the extension of the fishing ban. One, the fishing ban extension should be imposed across the west coast of India, from Gujarat to Kerala and that country made fishing boat should be banned from fishing with double engines during the ban period.
After the meeting held at the Cutbona jetty on Tuesday morning, Chairman of the Cutbona fisheries society, Savio D’Silva told the media the Federation had called the emergency meeting to discuss the communiqué received from the Director of Fisheries seeking comments from the fishing stakeholders to the proposal to extended the fishing ban period from July 31 to August 15.
“Boat owners, including owners with purse seine and fishing vessels have agreed to the proposal for the extension of the fishing ban, but on two conditions. The extended ban should be enforced uniformly all along the country’s west coast during the monsoons. Country made fishing boats operating with double engines should be banned from fishing during the extended fishing period”, he said.
Purse seine fishing vessel owner, Sebastian Cardozo echoed similar sentiments. “Owners of fishing vessels operating from Cutbona under the Federation have all agreed to the proposal, but on the condition that the fishing ban should be uniform along the west coast and that the motorised canoes should not be allowed to fish during the ban period with double engines. The ban, including the extended ban period should be strictly monitored by the agencies”, he added.
Traditional fishermen Pandarinath welcomed the government’s proposal to extend the fishing ban period to August 15. “This is a good issue. But the fishing ban should be uniform across the country’s west coast to have the desired effect”, he added.
The Fisheries department is in receipt of a letter dated March 10 from the Fisheries Survey of India, Government of India, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, requesting to submit responses from all Maritime State Governments regarding extension of the fishing ban period of 1st June-31" July to be extended to 1 June-15 August for period of Fishing ban of 76 days.
The Fisheries department in turn asked the stakeholders to furnish responses on questions whether the society members agree with the proposed extension of the seasonal ban along the west coast? If not, to specify the bottlenecks in implementing the proposed additional ban period.
Many a boat owner had in the recent past favoured extension of the ban on fishing till August 15 on the ground they can hardly do any fishing between August 1-15 because of the cyclonic weather conditions and the late arrival of migrant labour from the states of Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh etc.
