All Goa Fishing Boat Owners Association (AGFBOA) president Jose Philip D'Souza on Monday said the fishing season which began on Monday did not look promising, with several small boats reporting that not even a single kilo of solar shrimps was available in the sea.
Speaking to reporters at Kharewado jetty, D'Souza said the fisheries department should change the fishing ban period and alter it to accommodate and adjust the fishing of solar prawns for small boat owners and traditional canoe owners so that there are no business clashes between both the groups.
"Around 80 per cent of fishing boats from Kharewado jetty left on the first day. It seems the traditional canoe owners have finished all the solar shrimps in the sea because boats that reached Canacona have not spotted even a single kilo of solar shrimps in the sea. Many small boats have returned emptyhanded while traditional fishermen have earned by fishing solar shrimps during the fishing ban," said D’Souza.
"If these small boats have to survive, it is vital that the government changes the duration of the fishing ban period or else, allow all boats to catch solar shrimps, which if not caught on time, disappear into the sea.”
“We are not against the fishing ban period reduced for breeding of fish but there must be some solution wherein we are allowed to start fishing 15 days in advance or at least during the solar shrimp season. Solar shrimps can even be excluded during the fishing ban period," said D'Souza.
He said boats of the AGFBOA fully abide by all rules and regulations of the government during the fishing ban and they expect a certain relaxation from the government side as well.
“Though I do not support the use of LED lights for fishing, the government must allow fishermen to use new technology for fishing so that the business can survive and sustain itself," said D'Souza.
Claiming that Vasco fishermen continue to be in danger due to the dilapidated Kharewado fishing jetty, All Goa Fishing Boat Owners Association (AGFBOA) president Jose Philip D'Souza pointed to a fresh crack at the jetty.
"We have many boats which could not venture into the sea as they did not get to come alongside this very small jetty to load nets despite waiting for their turn for the last two days. A fresh crack has developed on the jetty and though the jetty is being repaired, repairs are not the solution.”
“An extension to accommodate around 250-odd boats must be done immediately because any delay in going into the sea causes financial losses due to lost opportunities. We can only have 10-15 boats alongside this small dilapidated jetty while many boats await their turn to load nets, labour and provisions. All of us and our workers continue to live in danger while operating on this dilapidated jetty," said D'Souza.
