GRE pays tribute to Matanhy on his 77th birth anniversary

VASCO

Members of Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) led by its President Agnelo Rodrigues on Thursday paid tributes to their former general secretary, late Matanhy Saldanha, on his 77th birth remembrance.

The ceremony which was held at Cansaulim saw fisher leaders from across Goa gather to honour the man who founded GRE five decades ago.

Former minister Alina Saldanha and South Goa MP Viriato Fernandes were among the prominent personalities who joined the gathering to offer floral tributes to the late leader.

GRE General Secretary Olencio Simoes, in his address, said that even after 13 years of Matanhy’s passing, “not a single day goes by without remembering his relentless service to the fishing community across the globe.”

He recalled that Matanhy began his activism at the age of 25 by launching an indefinite hunger strike against Zuari Agro Chemicals, a movement that inspired generations in Goa.

His tireless efforts, Simoes added, paved the way for landmark legislations like the Goa Marine Fishing Regulation Act and the Water Pollution Act — laws that became benchmarks for environmental protection both in India and internationally.

Describing Matanhy as a “global icon for fishers and a true environmentalist,” Simoes highlighted his contributions as a founding member of the National Fishworkers Forum (NFF) and his key role in establishing the World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP).

The event concluded with a collective pledge by GRE members and fisher leaders to carry forward Matanhy Saldanha’s vision of protecting Goa’s coastal ecology and upholding the rights of traditional fishing communities.