VASCO
With the implementation of the two-months fishing ban period from Thursday, a lot of activity was witnessed at the Kharewaddo Fishing jetty as workers were seen winding up the nets and loading them into trucks.
Commenting on the fishing season, Goa Fishing Boat Owners Association (GFBOA) President Jose Philip D'Souza said while the fishing season had been good, the rates for the fish had been low.
"We have had a good season and we have got a good catch of fish but the main issue was the rates for the fish. We had a bumper catch of fish but we did not get the desired rates. This was the case especially for the mackerel which caused issues to boat owners, who went to the sea and came back with bumper catch only to realise that rates were low.”
“This year, we had loads of mackerel but the rates were very very low and in fact, we got double the rates for this mackerel earlier," said D'Souza.
D'Souza also said subsidies for the last two years had not been cleared by the fisheries department.
"We have not been sanctioned the subsidies that is reimbursement of VAT on fuel for the last two years, which is of most importance to small boat owners. The small boat owners use this reimbursement to load fuel on their boats and when amounts are pending for over two years, it causes inconvenience to them. We have to wait and watch when the government will clear the amount which can help us repair our boats or get prepared for the next season," said D'Souza.
The GFBOA president said the boat owners were winding up and the boats were coming to the jetty to offload their nets, which will be washed and kept at a safe location.
“However, the issue is that the jetty is small and it takes time as boats come one by one and offload their nets while the other boats have to wait for their turn in the waters. While each boat takes turns to come on the jetty and offload their nets, it may take another 4 to 5 days for all the boats to finish the process.”
“We have been constantly demanding an extension of this jetty and we also have given a representation to the union fisheries minister Purshottam Rupala to offer us an extension of this jetty," said D’Souza.
