MARGAO
The new fishing season is set to begin on a stormy note at the Cutbona fishing jetty with agitated boat owners operating from the jetty setting a fortnight-long deadline on the Director of Fisheries to tow away the abandoned and damaged vessels anchored along the 222-metre-long new and extended portion of the jetty.
With anchoring of fishing boats emerging as a burning issue at Goa’s largest fishing hub, the Cutbona boat owners have warned that they would lift the abandoned vessels on August 15 if the Fisheries Director does not clear the new jetty of the menace.
Owners of wooden fishing boats have also urged the Fisheries Department to allot 50 per cent of the space at the Cutbona jetty for them for smooth landing operations and anchoring.
Boat owners have also expressed their displeasure over the Fisheries Department’s move to charge fish traders registration fees, pointing out that the department should also take up the responsibility for the trades in the event they leave the jetty without making payments to the boat owners for the catch.
These and other issues took centre stage at the Cutbona jetty on Sunday when the boat owners had a meeting with the stakeholders including fish traders, transporters et al.
Former Cutbona boat owners union president Patrick D’Silva said the boat owners have set August 14 as the deadline for the Fisheries department to clear the abandoned vessels anchored along the 222-metre-extended portion of the jetty.
“The Fisheries Department had in the past issued notices to the owners to tow away the abandoned or old vessels from the jetty, but the ground reality remains unchanged. These vessels are blocking prime space at the Cutbona jetty, which would have otherwise been occupied by the fishing boats,” Patrick said.
He added: “The boat owners are tired of demanding and reminding the Fisheries officials to lift away the abandoned vessels from the jetty. Hence, we have today decided to set August 14 as the ultimatum on the department or else the boat owners could take the necessary action."
Chairman of Cutbona fisheries cooperative society Vinay Tari said the boat owners had an interaction with the stakeholders ahead of the new fishing season. He, however, lamented that the Fisheries Department has done nothing for providing better amenities, including road, sanitation and illumination for the boat owners.
“The boat owners union was earlier taking the responsibility of the fish traders operating at the jetty. But, after the Fisheries department made registration of the fish traders mandatory by charging a hefty fee, the Director ought to take responsibility of the traders if they run away from the jetties without making payments to the boat owners. We have come across such an incident and we hope the Fisheries Director not only collects the registration fees but ensures that only genuine traders register to purchase fish from the boat owners,” Tari added.
“Just two days to go for the new fishing season, and the jetty road is in bad shape. The new 222-metre-long jetty is blocked by old vessels and the Fisheries Department is showing no urgency to clear the vessels jetty and put the new jetty to use,” he said.
