Less that 30 pc workers join Cutbona fishing operations

Migrant workers are yet to report to the Cutbona fishing jetty, Goa’s largest fishing hub, till date ahead of the new fishing season.

MARGAO

As the new fishing season kick-starts on August 1 after a 60-day fishing ban, mechanised boat owners operating from Goa’s largest fishing hub, Cutbona find themselves in troubled waters.

For, the jetty has so far reported less than 20-30 per cent of the migrant workers, raising concerns among the fishing community.

What has further compounded the worries of boat owners are reports that experienced migrant workers from Odisha and Jharkhand are opting to head south to fishing hubs like Malpe in Karnataka, lured by offers to work on a percentage basis. In contrast, most workers in Goa are paid fixed monthly wages. This shift is leaving many Cutbona boat owners uncertain about launching operations.

As of now, only a couple of fishing vessels, may venture out in the sea on Friday. Sources said a handful of purse seine vessels may depart from Cutbona fishing jetty, but dependent on the weather Gods.

Chairman of the Cutbona fisheries cooperative society, Savio D’Silva said the delayed arrival of manpower from the country’s east cost is expected to cause delay in the fishing operations. “Boat owners are keeping their fingers crossed over the arrival of the migrant workers. We have received reports that the experienced amongst the lot are being tempted to head to Karnataka with offers of working on percentage basis. That’s not all. The agricultural season in Odisha has just commenced after the heavy rains. Many a worker has now promised to report to Goa only after the sowing operations”, Savio said.

Former President of the Cutbona Boat Owners Union, Patrick D’Silva said Cutbona fishing jetty must have reported hardly 10 per cent of the total work force. “Some of the migrant owners are reportedly taking up percentage works at Malpei and other jetties in Karnataka. In Goa, they work on monthly payments. Let us wait and see  how things unfold in the coming days”, he added.

Goa’s mechanised fishing industry is totally dependent of the migrant workers from the states of Odisha and Jharkhand.

However, there are other boat owners, who said they will start the operations after August 15 when the rough sea conditions subside. “Our experience shows that the sea turns rough between August 1 and 15 due to cyclonic weather conditions, hampering the movement of fishing vessels. Even if the vessels venture out in the sea, they cannot return back to the jetty when they are caught up in the storm. Hence, the vessels are forced to berth at Karwar and other fishing harbours in the neighbouring states”, the boat owner added.

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DC BOX

The River Sal mouth craving for attention.  (caption pic 2)

Hostile navigation issues at mouth

of Sal back to haunt boat owners

MARGAO: Delayed manpower may prevent dozens of fishing vessels anchored at the Cutbona fishing hub on Day one of the new fishing vessels, beginning from Friday.

But, owners of fishing vessels, whose migrant manpower has reported at the fishing jetty, are keeping their fingers crossed over starting the new season, but for a different reason.

The hostile navigation issues at the mouth of river Sal at Betul has come back to haunt the boat owners and traditional fishermen. For, the promised training wall at the mouth of river Sal is yet to take shape till date, despite repeated reminders by the fishing community over the years.

The training wall was proposed by the Fisheries department over half a decade ago, before the project was challenged before the National Green Tribunal. The Tribunal later gave its nod for the construction of the training wall at the mouth of river Sal on condition the proponent first conducts an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) study.

Sadly, though it’s now over three years since the NGT had disposed of the case with directions to conduct the EIA, the Fisheries Department is yet to take the process to the logical conclusion.

When The Goan contacted Fisheries Director, Dr Shamila Monteiro to shed light on the long-delayed construction of training wall at the river Sal mouth at Betul, she said the department has engaged an agency to conduct the EIA study. “It will take some time for the agency to conduct the study and give its report. Meanwhile, it is for the government to take up dredging of the river Sal mouth if the sand bar is hampering the movement of fishing vessels,” she added.

Former president of the Cutbona Boat Owners Union Cypriano Cardozo informed that the proposed training wall construction at the river Sal mouth has been hanging fire for long now. “The new fishing season starts from Friday, but the boat owners are keeping their fingers crossed whether the hostile navigation conditions at the river Sal mouth will allow the vessels to venture out. If when the vessels venture out for fishing, they encounter severe problems to return back to the Cutbona jetty, leaving the vessels with no option than to move to Vasco”, he said.

Cypriano has made  a fervent plea to the government to address the long pending issue of break water facility at the river Sal mouth by constructing a training wall.