PANAJI
Rampant bull trawling and LED fishing off Goa’s coast has once again raised the hackles of traditional Goan fishermen who have alleged violations of a 2001 notification that bans the use of the technique.
Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott (GRE), a collective of traditional Goan fishermen, has petitioned Fisheries Minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues demanding strict action against bull trawling and LED fishing by Malphe trawlers.
“You are very well aware that our State was first to ban destructive gears like bull or pair trawling and use of LED lights equipped with or without generator,” GRE said in its memorandum pointing out that the notification that was issued way back in 2001.
GRE said as recently as 2017, the Centre too issued an order through the Ministry of Agriculture & farmers welfare department of Animal Husbandry, dairying & fisheries similarly banning bull or pair trawling and the use of LED lights in the territorial waters and Indian Exclusive Zone (EEZ).
“But sadly, the rampant violation is still being continued in territorial
waters and Indian Exclusive Zone (EEZ). There is no fear of the law or government, and due to negligent use of such destructive gears by handful of purse-seine owners, it has totally destroyed the nursing grounds of several species of fish and marine ecology,” GRE memorandum said.
These Malphe boats from Karnataka are continuously entering the territorial waters of Goa using high-speed engines and scoops in all the fishing by illegal bull trawling methods, GRE said.
It pointed out that local fishermen have caught these boats and brought the instances of illegal fishing by them to the notice of the government authorities but yet the violations continue unabated.
The memorandum states that if bull trawling and illegal LED light fishing continues then Goa will head towards fish extinction of wild fisheries and join the ranks of countries like Norway, Denmark, Oman, New Zealand and Australia which have faced a halt to fisheries because of destructive gear fishing.
Raising a specific case, GRE demanded that strict action be taken against Miguel Rodrigues (Joecons) who it alleged first advocated the use of the destructive technology which is banned in most parts of the world.
The GRE memorandum also alleged that members of the All Goa Purse-seine Boat Owners (AGPBOA) are blatantly violating the ban and are using high powered china engines having more than 500HP, operating illegal big boats and size without VRC, nets, sonar fishing and other illegal gears to catch fish in the territorial waters of the State as well as Indian Exclusive Zone(EEZ).
