MARGAO
Traditional fishermen from Benaulim and Colva led by former Minister Churchill Alemao called on SGPDA Chairman MLA Krishna Daji Salkar with a plea to accommodate women fisherfolk from the coastal belt in the wholesale fish market.
The delegation comprising of Churchill and traditional fisherman Pele Fernandes impressed upon the SGPDA chairman to ensure that the women fisherfolk are allowed to eke a living in the wholesale fish market.
Churchill pointed that the traditional fishermen normally come to the wholesale fish market with fresh catch netted from the sea. “Sometimes, it happens that the fishermen cannot sell all the baskets full of fish and have to wait for customers to dispose of the fish. This does not amount to retail sale of fish in the market,” he said, while urging the SGPDA chairman to protect the interests of such fisherfolk in the wholesale fish market.
Fisherman Pele also echoed similar sentiments, saying the women fisherfolk, including widows eke a living on the sale of fish in the wholesale fish market on a daily basis. Numbering around 30, Pele said the fisherfolk will have nowhere to go if they are not allowed inside the wholesale fish market.
After giving a patient hearing, SGPDA Chairman Krishna Salkar said the issue raised by Churchill and the fishermen will be placed before the PDA meeting scheduled next week. He, however, pointed out that the wholesale fish market will have no place for retail sale of fish, adding that the SGPDA will implement the High Court order of ban on retail sale of fish in the wholesale fish market.
