Fewer than 50 boats set sail as the delayed return of migrant workers hits operations
Mechanised fishing vessels leaving from the Cutbona fishing jetty into the sea after negotiating the hostile conditions at the sand bar near the mouth of River Sal.
MARGAO
The new fishing season got off to a slow start on Friday at the Cutbona fishing jetty — Goa’s largest fishing hub — with only a handful of mechanised fishing vessels venturing out to sea.
The lacklustre beginning was largely attributed to the delayed return of migrant labourers, with most yet to report for duty. As a result, only a couple of purse seine vessels, besides a number of small fishing trawlers, set sail on the opening day, primarily in pursuit of the prized solar shrimp.
A boat owner operating from the Cutbona fishing jetty told *The Goan* that maybe around 8–10 purse seine vessels had gone out to sea on Friday. “The remaining vessels that started the fishing operations on day one of the new season were all trawler fishing vessels,” he said.
Sources informed that though the sea conditions were relatively calm on Friday and favourable for fishing, the delayed arrival of the migrant manpower from the states of Odisha and Jharkhand played spoilsport to the new fishing season.
As reported earlier, the delayed arrival of the migrant manpower at the jetty, coupled with the fact that the migrant workers are being lured to work on a percentage basis on fishing vessels in neighbouring Karnataka, has affected a large number of boat owners operating from Cutbona.
The Cutbona fishing jetty, which plays host to 300-plus mechanised fishing vessels, saw fewer than 50 vessels heading out to sea on day one of the new fishing season.
Sources further informed that the fishing vessels which ventured out to sea around noon may not return to the jetty with the fish catch because of the low tide in the evening, which may hamper navigation at the mouth of the River Sal.
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Colva fishermen cry foul over violations by mechanised boats
MARGAO: Fishermen from Colva cried foul on day one of the fishing season, as they accused unscrupulous boat owners of carrying out fishing close to the coast.
In fact, a traditional fisherman, Domingo Rodrigues, questioned the fisheries and police officials as to why they turned a blind eye to the presence of mechanised fishing vessels operating close to the Colva coast, when fishing rules mandate them to carry out fishing beyond five nautical miles.
Domingo recalled that the fisheries officials and police personnel had cracked the whip against traditional fishermen operating motorised fishing canoes by deploying police at the landing centres along the South Goa coast.
“Where are the fisheries and police officials today? How come the fishing activities very close to the shore escaped the attention of the law-enforcing agencies?” Domingo questioned, demanding to know whether the fishing rules and laws are only applicable to traditional fishermen.
Colva Panchayat member, Menino Fernandes, who owns a motorised canoe, also questioned the presence of mechanised vessels very close to Colva beach. “The government and the Fisheries Department should clarify whether mechanised vessels can fish close to the coast or if they are required, as per the rule, to fish beyond five nautical miles. The law-enforcing agencies should order a crackdown immediately on fishing vessels violating the law,” Menino demanded.
