Boat owners say season has not been good this year with many reporting poor catch
Couple of fishing boats have dropped anchor at the Cutbona jetty, but majority of the vessels are still in the sea, trying their luck to net the last catch of the season.
Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
As curtains are set to come down on the fishing season on May 31 before the fishing ban comes into force on June 1, a couple of fishing vessels have already dropped anchor at the Cutbona fishing jetty – Goa’s largest fishing hub.
A visit to the Cutbona fishing jetty on Sunday revealed that majority of the fishing vessels are either in the sea for fishing or are bracing up to venture out, with the hope of netting the last catch of the season. With just 20 days to go for the fishing season to end, boat owners plan to make at least 2-3 trips in the sea for fishing before they wind up their operations on May 31.
While vessels gearing up for a fishing trip saw workers loading ice and food provision, those who have decided to wind up operations were seen unloading fishing nets from the boats into waiting pick-up vans.
The migrant crew members, mostly hailing from the states of Odisha and Jharkhand are also gearing up to return home in the next few days. While the migrant workers normally take the trains to return to their native states, some of the boat owners arrange bus transport facility to drop them home after curtains come down on the fishing season.
Boat owners say the fishing season has not been good this year with many reporting poor catch during the entire season. “We had a bad time in the first two months when the prized mackerel eluded the fishing nets at the beginning of the season, before the season picked up, On the whole, it was neither a good nor a bad season’, remarked the boat owner.
Cutbona jetty under lens
after cholera outbreak
The fishing season was marred this year due to the outbreak of cholera and dengue at the Cutbona fishing jetty that claimed the lives of couple of migrant workers. The outbreak saw the government going all out to overhaul the logistics at the Cutbona fishing jetty, right from clearing the 222-metre long fishing jetty from the scrap vessels and fishing nets to toning up the sanitation arrangements by putting in place temporary toilets with contributions from the boat owners.
Though the 222-metre long jetty was built over half a decade ago, the government finally inaugurated the same post-cholera outbreak by adopting the carrot and stick policy. Salcete lone minister, Environment Minister, Alexio Sequeira, who was drafted by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to clear Cutbona jetty from the mess, completed his job with elan.
50-seater toilet
block at Cutbona
Post-Cholera outbreak, the decade and half year old proposal to build 50-seater toilet block was finally set in motion by the government last year. The toilet block was proposed by the government with the objective of providing decent sanitation facility for the 4,500-strong migrant workforce employed on the 200-odd fishing vessels operating from the Cutbona jetty.
Inquiries by The Goan has revealed that work on the 50-seater toilet block is in the final stage, with Sulabh International officials exuding confidence of completing the work by May end. Sulabh is building the 50-seater toilet block, besides 16 bathrooms for the benefit of the migrant workers at an estimated cost of Rs one crore. “The 50-seater toilet block is almost ready. We expect to complete the work by May end. Work on the bathrooms will also be completed around the same time. The septic tanks will also be in place before the onset of monsoons”, the official added.
