Panaji:
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Amit Patkar slammed the State government over its failure to curb illegal bull trawling.
While addressing the media, Patkar accused the Fisheries Department of being hand in glove with non-Goan trawler operators.
He pointed out that despite repeated assurances from Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Fisheries Minister Nilkant Halarnkar, the authors have failed to act against illegal trawlers operating in Goan waters.
Patkar called for a much-needed crackdown by the Fisheries Department, urging officials to start filing FIRs and confiscating illegal boats.
Patkar emphasized that lax enforcement has led to economic harm to Goa’s traditional fishing community. He explained that while traditional fishermen can haul only 500 kilos of fish per trip, the large-scale commercial trawlers can haul up to 30 tonnes, further undermining local livelihoods.
“Our traditional methods, which have sustained Goan families for generations, are under threat,” he asserted.
Congress has demanded relief fund to compensate traditional fishermen who are suffering due to the government’s failure to enforce the law
