Row intensifies over illegal fishing practices along South Goa coast

Beleaguered fishermen from Salcete and Mormugao coast briefing the media on the harassment meted out to them by the police at the behest of the mechanised boat owners.

Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar

MARGAO
With the police tightening screws on the traditional fishermen upon complaint from boat owners, traditional fishermen from Salcete and Mormugao coast on Saturday warned that they will not remain silent spectators to the illegal fishing modes such as bull trawling and fishing with LED lights adopted by the mechanised vessels.

In fact, Colva-based fisherman Domingo Rodrigues has volunteered to sponsor two speed boats to the Fisheries Department to rein in mechanised fishing vessels indulging in fishing with LED lights.

They further demanded that the Fisheries Department implement the ban on fishing by mechanised vessels very close to the shore after the fishing season starts on August 1.

After the boat owners last week complained to the Fisheries Department that traditional fishermen have commenced fishing operations with double motors, the Goa police has deployed policemen at Velsao, Colva and Benaulim to crack a whip against fishermen violating the norms.

The traditional fishermen also pointed fingers at the boat owners for threatening fish agents not to procure their catch or face boycott.

Addressing the media on Saturday, fishermen from Velsao, Colva, Benaulim and other places questioned whether those who are into mechanised fishing business are traditional fishermen or businessmen, who have invested their money in the fishing industry.

Velsao-based fisherman Aliston Pinto said the traditional fishermen carry the second motor in the boat as a precautionary measure in the event the single motor stops functioning due to a technical glitch. “Due to the safety of the worker and the fishermen, the fishermen have to carry the second motor on board the canoe. That does not mean that we are violating the fishing norms,” he said.

He charged that mechanised fishing vessels are indulging in bull trawling and fishing with LED lights, the illegal fishing modes banned by the Supreme Court.  “Please don’t harass the traditional fishermen. If we don’t catch fish, how will we eke a living. We are not boat owners who roam with Mercedes and other high end cars,” he added.

Domingo Rodrigues charged the mechanised fishing vessels for killing small fish by fishing with LED lights. “We will catch the mechanised fishing vessels indulging in LED fishing. If the Fisheries Department has no equipment to catch the violators, I am ready to provide my speed boats to the department to catch vessels fishing with LED lights,” he added.

Charging the Fisheries Department for not protecting the interests of the traditional fishermen, Domingo said the department is working for the welfare of the big time boat owners for reasons unknown.

Benaulim-based fisherman Pele Fernandes said it was indeed sad that the Goa police deployed large posse of policemen to mete out harassment for the traditional fishermen. “The boat owners have complained against traditional fishermen when they have been illegally using LED lights for fishing with impunity. These people who are talking against the traditional fishermen are not fishermen, but businessmen,” he added.

Fisherman Jose Fernandes said the big boat owners resort to illegal fishing throughout the year, but point fingers at the traditional fishermen, who get just two months to net fish and eke a living.