ALIA ABREU
PANAJI
TG: Does a 2- month ban actually help fish to breed?
AL : We don’t really know if the ban helps because we don’t have data. Considering the state of fisheries, any sort of control is better than none. Currently, our fisheries are largely un-managed, not just mismanaged. Even though the laws are in place, they are un-managed. The ban was put into place to allow the fish caught commercially to breed and also because the rough seas prevented small-scale fishermen from going out into the sea. The ban probably does not allow for fish numbers to go up, because it’s not enough. But we need concrete evidence to know for sure.
TG: Would you say that reducing our fish intake during this time would help
in conservation?
AL : The short answer is yes, but it would only help partially. There’s a lot of wastage when fishermen catch undersized fish or other species of fish typically not eaten by consumers. This compromises the eco-system as a whole. Even though us reducing consumption would have a positive impact on the environment, a good proportion of our seafood goes to non-human consumers like poultry. We have to keep a check on the quality of fishing to ensure we have as little wastage as possible.
TG: What would be the most drastic effect on human life if our oceans were destroyed?
AL : Even though the state of our oceans is not very good, we continue to survive and thrive because we keep moving from one thing to the next. Our markets are so globalised, we are never short of anything. Supermarkets always keep stock. The sad part is people are happy to eat eco-labelled food, which is actually pointless, because this takes you as far from the source as possible. But if oceans are destroyed, coastal livelihoods would be destroyed. Besides this, fish are a very important form of proteins and nutrients for developing countries ... poor people, women in the early stages of pregnancy. Fish provides micro-nutrients that is difficult to get from other sources. Unfortunately, the negatives will be felt most by the poorest people along the coast. If people are really concerned, they need to be personally connected with the environment and the food that they eat.
TG: Is there anything we can do to help in ocean
conservation?
AL: You can familiarise yourself with issues around you. Take a walk on the beach, talk to local fishermen. Also, if you’re eating fish like modso, mackeral in the months of June - July, it’s not coming from Goa. If you’re constantly eating seafood at a time when there’s a fish ban, you’re consuming fish that is not local and not sustainable. I don’t like to give too many doomsday stories as far as the ocean is concerned, but yeah, stay connected with your environment.
