MARGAO
Congress leaders Olencio Simoes, Peter Fernandes, Jason Silveira and Devsurabhee Yaduvanshi on Friday lambasted Fisheries Minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues for failing to discharge his duties as Minister, saying the department has failed to act against illegal bull trawling by Malphe boats for last two years in the territorial waters of Goa.
“Ever since he has taken charge of his office, illegalities in the fisheries department has gone to the peak, it is an utter shame that the local fishermen have to be vigilant and catch the boats from Karnataka, rather than the fisheries department. This has clearly shown that Filipe Neri and his department have failed to act on illegal bull trawling by Malphe boats since last two years in the territorial waters of Goa”, they said.
Simoes reminded the Fisheries Minister that the Fisheries department in 2016 and the central government in 2017 has banned the use of bull trawling in the territorial waters and Indian Exclusive Zone (EEZ), but till today more than a hundred Karnataka trawlers are operating within the territorial water of the state and continue to use this banned destructive gears without the fear of law and perhaps complete connivance with the government of Goa.
