PANAJI
Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala has informed the Rajya Sabha that there is no report received regarding the depletion of fish stock on the coast of Goa in the last five years.
The traditional fishermen have repeatedly alleged that th
ere is a decrease in fish stock on the Goa coast due to destructive fishing practices like bull trawling and the use of LED lights. However, the government has said that all is well.
In a written reply to a question raised by Rajya Sabha MP Luizinho Faleiro, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala has said that the marine fish production from Goa for the last five years 2016-17 to 2020-21 ranged between 1.01-1.18 lakh tonnes and as such, there is no substantial decrease in fish catch.
"There is no report received regarding depletion in fish stock on the coast of Goa," said the Minister.
However, the union minister in the reply added that destructive fishing practices such as paired or bull trawling and the use of artificial lights/LED lights for fishing are banned in the Exclusive Economic Zone of India (EEZ) beyond
the territorial waters vide order dated September 10, 2017.
"The union government has also advised the coastal states and union territories from time to time to issue necessary orders to prohibit destructive fishing methods including the use of LED lights for fishing," said the union minister.
The union minister has also mentioned that the government of Goa, in May 2016, prohibited the use or installation of LED lights on mechanized fishing vessels or motorized fishing crafts.
