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The Fisheries Director told The Goan that the mechanised boat owners cannot use LED lights for fishing when there’s already a ban in force on night fishing
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MARGAO: After much delay, the Director of Fisheries has finally mulled action against fishing vessels which have installed LED lights for fishing, both within the Goan territorial waters and outside.
Cracking the whip against fishing vessels, Fisheries Director Dr Sharmila Monteiro, in an order issued to all the fishing cooperative societies across the state, has directed removal of LED lights from vessels within eight days or face appropriate action.
The chairmen of both the fishing cooperative societies operating from Cutbona fishing jetty, MLA Benjamin D’Silva and Minguel Rodrigues confirmed receiving the order in this regard. In fact, Benjamin told The Goan that he would place the Fisheries Director’s circular before the members of his fishing cooperative society for information and action. Minguel Rodrigues, on the other hand, informed The Goan that members of his Society and other boat owners will meet to take stock of the situation arising out of the order.
The Fisheries Director told The Goan that the mechanised boat owners cannot use LED lights for fishing when there’s already a ban in force on night fishing. But, when her attention was drawn to the stand maintained by the boat owners that they are fishing with LED lights beyond the 12 nautical miles of the Goa coast, beyond the jurisdiction of the Goa fisheries department, Monteiro shot back “if this is the case, let the boat owners obtain permission from the Central government authorising them to fish with LED lights beyond the 12 nautical miles.”
When asked what action was being contemplated against those fishing vessels that do not pay heed to the order to remove the LED lights from the vessels, Monteiro said that the Fisheries department would explore various options, including approaching the office of the sub-divisional magistrates to get the LED lights removed from the fishing vessels.
Asked whether the Fisheries department is also contemplating withdrawing subsidies to the vessels that violates the order, Monteiro said the department would take all measures to ensure that LED lights are taken off the vessels.
Sources in the know said the Fisheries Director’s order directing the fishing Societies to get rid of LED lights from the fishing vessels has come as a big blow to the boat owners, especially the purse seine owners, majority of whom have installed LED lights on their fishing vessels. In fact, it is learnt that apart from the purse seine vessels, a number of other fishing boats are believed to have also installed LED lights on their vessels.
The issue had figured in the just concluded Session of the Goa Legislative Assembly wherein Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado had mulled action against vessels fishing with LED lights.
