Fishing practices using LED devices are causing irreparable damage to the marine ecosystem. Traditional fishermen who use sustainable methods say this practice is leading to the depletion of marine resources and threatening their livelihoods. Fishermen from earlier generations were genuinely concerned about fish wealth but the current set of fishermen focus only on making money. LED fishing is banned but nobody stops this activity. Such illegal fishing is going on in Goa destroying fish and the livelihoods of traditional fishermen. Fishing using lights is compared to an older form of fishing at night using torches lit by fire. In the past, there used to be Bermuda fishing, a traditional name given to fishermen venturing into the sea at night with torches lit by fire. This method would get a small catch. But today, huge LED lights are being used to carry out fishing on a much larger scale and that is affecting the livelihood of fishermen who depend on traditional means. Though the Centre banned it in all coastal states in 2017, fishermen say the use of LED lights remains rampant. Cancel the licenses and penalise those using LED lights at sea.
