The fisheries department’s decision to act against non-Goanfishing trawlers has come as a huge relief to Goan counterparts.
Recenty the state fisheries department said it will takeaction against non-Goan fishing trawlers, who are caught carrying out fishingactivity within five kilometers of the Goan waters.
However, the decision could prove counter productive to Goanfisherman too, as around 90 percent of Goan fishing trawlers also venture outinto other States’ waters.
The Goan fishermen are protected by the Marine Fishing RegulationAct of 1981 of Goa, Daman and Diu.
But despite of having a law and repeated complaints from thelocal fisherman against rampant violation of the Act by non-Goan fishingvessels, the fisheries department failed to take action.
“The non-Goan fishing trawlers use high speed motors andexplosives to carry on destructive fishing in Goan waters but the toothlessstate fisheries department remain bystanders,” said Simon Pereira, President ofGoa Fishing Boat Owners Association.
The fisheries department either ask Goan fishermen to bevigilant or bank on the services of the coastal police to keep a track onnon-Goan offenders.
Soon after the news of Goa government’s decision to takeaction on non-Goan fishing vessels was made public, officials from Karnatakastarted calling me asking about the notification and seeking relief. But ourstand is firm and action will be certainly taken on violators,” said FisheriesDirector, Nanda Kishor Verlekar.
Verlekar in the same breath acknowledges that the departmentis not properly equipped to initiate action against offenders, as despite ofhaving two patrol boats the department does not have crew to operate theseboats.
The state presently has 1156 registered trawlers of which850 are operational under five fishing societies of the State. “Ironicallyfishermen’s repeated complaints against the non-Goan fishing trawlers was nevertaken up seriously by the state government,” informed Harshad Dhond, a memberof the Mandovi Fishing Cooperative Society.
Now six patrol boats of coastal police have been assigned tokeep surveillance on trespassers and that has come as relief to local fishingcommunity.
What is however surprising is that at present no officerfrom fisheries department would be present onboard these patrol boats, butlater two members from each fishing societies in the State would join the fleetto keep an eye on violators.
