Demand inspection of hundreds of Karnataka boats anchored at Khariwado bay
VASCO
Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) along with other societies have kick-started awareness programmes in different parts of the State as an desperate attempt to protect their livelihoods, as the government has failed to curb bull-trawling and bottom-high speed trawling by Malpe fishing trawlers in Goan territorial waters since last year.
The awareness programmes were held at Caranzalem, Nerul, Baga, Morjim, Arambol, Talpona, Canacona and Betul on Sunday.
In a press release, GRE General Secretary Olencio Simoes accused Fisheries department for being a mute spectator towards thousands of Malpe boats fishing within the State territorial waters, even after Malpe boat crew members heckled the Goan fishermen in the sea and destroyed their nets which they cast for fishing.
“The State and the Central government in 2016 and 2017 respectively had banned the use of bull or pair-trawling in the territorial waters and the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This kind of fishing gears are banned in neighbouring states of Karnataka and Maharashtra, but these Malpe trawlers from Karnataka use this kind of destructive fishing only in Goan territorial waters because the Goa government has failed to implement the law in totality.”
“These Malpe boats sweep the seabed within minutes thereby depriving the fishermen of Goa from their daily catch, besides completely destroying the nursing grounds of several species of fish. If action is not initiated immediately and if they continue to enter Goan territorial waters then our Goan traditional fishermen and small boat owners will not have fish to harvest for the rest of the season and this will be detrimental for the future of fishing community of Goa,” said Simoes.
Custodio D’Souza, president of Old Cross Fishing Canoe Owners Co-operative Society (OCFCOCS) has demanded the Fisheries department to immediately depute fisheries surveyor and inspect hundreds of Malpe boats anchored at Khariwado bay.
“These boats were fishing within 20 meters of our territorial waters and were caught in the storm and were forced to anchor at Khariwado bay. Therefore, GRE will continue with awareness programme all along the coastline of North and South Goa till the State administration and Fisheries department ban these Malpe boats operating in our territorial waters and if government fails to do so then government will be blamed for any law and order situation in the State,” said D’Souza.
