Cutbona fishing jetty. The government has granted approval to the Fisheries department to close the fishing jetties through the police for unauthorised fish traders.
MARGAO
In a major decision, the government has granted approval to the Fisheries department to close the fishing jetties through the police for fish traders from entering the jetties in the state sans paying the prescribed fees.
That the Fisheries means business became clear when the Director of Fisheries Dr. Shamila Monteiro dashed off a letter to the Superintendent of Police, South Goa or deployment of the police men at the jetties to stop unauthorized fish traders from entering the jetties.
The SP, South has been requested to depute Police personnel round the clock at the Cutbona Jetty, Velim, Salcete and Khariwada, Vasco Jetty, Mormugao Goa for stopping the entry of transport vehicle of Fish Trader in the jetty who are not register with the Department of Fisheries.
Boat owners operating from Cutbona have cried foul over the notice issued by the Fisheries department more so after a delegation of the boat owners and fishermen had a meeting with the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on a host of issues facing the fishermen, including payment of prescribed fees notified by the agents.
In fact, anxiety was writ large on the faces of the boat owners as they feared any decision to close the jetties for the fish traders till the payment of the prescribed fees will affect their catch at the jetties.
Till late Tuesday evening, the boat owners have been trying to find out a solution, especially they had a meeting with the Chief Minister on the issue earlier in the day.
The Fisheries Director’s notice to the fisheries societies pointed out that the Department had invited applications to register the Fish Traders who are trading fish from the fisheries jetties in the state for the fishing season from August 2022 1o 31 May 2023.
Further, the notice stated that the Department has also invited applications from fishing vessel owners to register as individual Fishermen to transport their fish catch within or outside the State. “Now, the government has conveyed the approval to close the jetty through Police and allow only vehicles of the Fish Traders/Individual Fishermen registered with the Department on paying the prescribed fees. Fish Transport vehicles of Fish Traders and Individual Fishermen who are not registered with the Department is strictly not allow in the Jetty premises”, the notice stated, while requesting the fisheries societies to bring the content to notice of all the fishing vessels owners and Fish Traders so that there is no inconvenience to the fishing business.
Chairman of Cutbona fisheries Vinay Tari contended that the fish traders and agents did not register themselves with the Fisheries department as the notice had mandated the traders to pay a registration fee of Rs two lakh. “This fee is unfair since no agent will come to the jetty,. IN such a situation, our fish catch will rot at the jetties since there will be no buyers”, he said.
He added: “We had given an alternate solution to the Fisheries department that instead of imposing a flat fee, to charge the fish traders on the quantum of fish transported from the jetty. We have also placed this suggestion before the Chief Minister, but suddenly the fisheries Director has ordered closure of the jetties to the fish traders who have not paid the fees”.
