CORTALIM: Fishermen and boat owners from various traditional fishing associations met Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Minister for Fisheries Avertano Furtado on Saturday to demand a clamp down on the illegal use of LED lights, bull trawling and high speed engine (China engine) which violate the Goa Marine Fishing Regulation Act.
GRE President Agnelo Rodrigues, GRE Joint Genenral Secretary and Secretary of National Fishworkers’ Forum Olencio Simoes along with 13 traditional fishing associations later submitted a memorandum to the chief minister in this connection, states a press release.
The traditional fishermen and boat owners highlighted illegal use of LED lights, Bull Trawling & High Speed Engine (China Engines which exceed 300hp) and impressed upon the chief minister that if this practice of fishing is not immediately stopped, not a single fish will be available to fishermen within a year.
According to the press release, Parsekar emphasised the need to preserve marine resources for the future and therefore asked Furtado and Director of Fisheries Dr Shamila Monteiro to take necessary action in this matter.
Furtado also said that he was attentive to the demands of traditional fishermen and the boat owners, the release adds.
The GRE had given a two-day deadline to Furtado and Dr Monteiro to take action, but the fisheries director requested for a period of one week to complete all formalities to take further necessary action.
Other issues highlighted before the chief minister pertained to a demand to increase the fishing ban period from 61 days to 120 days, ban permitting licenses to more fishing boats and replacing scrap boats, regulate mesh size and shape of nets and a ban permitting any more licenses to fish meal industries.
“All such demands made by boat owners will preserve marine ecology, which the traditional fishermen have been demanding with the government for the past 20 years. The fisheries department should immediately implement them for the benefit of fishing fraternity,” said Simoes.
-----
BANE OF LED LIGHT
As explained by Sudhakar Joshi, ex-sarpanch and fishermen from Betul
* The heat from LED lights finish fish population
* These lights harm not only fish but human eyes too
* LED is released into the sea from stationed trawler
* Within hours all fish comes out and are caught
* This is a continuous process of non-stop fishing
