Is Goa Government backstabbing Goa's fishing communities?

08 June 2024

Is Goa Government backstabbing Goa's fishing communities?

All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union (AGSSRFU) strongly condemns statements of the organizers of International Boat exhibition in Panjim that resistence to install Marina at Nauxim is because of misunderstanding.

Yacht and other luxury promoters has given their views online at https://youtu.be/xLKyB2EfVdY?si=JWZF2NOQNHb1sprZ  where in it is spoken that they are collaborating with Government of Goa to set up Marinas at various Ports and Jetties as a part of blue economy boosting. Is Goa Government backstabbing Goa's traditional small scale fishing communities?

AGSSRFU views this exhibition as a major move to expell fishing based livelihoods from Goa and conquest of Goa's coast for luxury tourism purposes. 

Boats exhibition promoters must understand that the resistence to Marina at Nauxim is about to complete 14 years coming October and is based on sound understanding of the lease deed between Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) and Mumbai based Kargwal Constructions Private Limited for Nauxim as well as lease deed between MPT and Chowgules for Sancoale wherein fishing activities at Zuari river is not even acknowledged. The marina lease deed is primarily biased against Goa's fishing communities involved in fishing based livelihoods in Zuari river.

Moreover destruction of fishing in Zuari river is conclusively stated in EIA report itself that Kargwal Constructions Private Limited got done through Chennai based Annamalai University that indicated that Marina at Nauxim will have Long term irreversible negative impact on Fisheries. Marina project proposal at Nauxim involves reclamation of 50,000 square meters of riverfront off Nauxim Beach for Marina infrastructure thereby completely destroying small scale fishing activities. This is an act of ecocide and major violation of International fishing law that India is a signatory to: VG-SSF Guidelines. It's an aggression par excellence.

The narrative of International boat exhibition promoters that Marina and fishing can go simultaneously is merely hot air released to misguide people of Goa.

AGSSRFU views attempts at pushing Marina at Nauxim as an act of expulsion of fishing communities through conquest of Zuari river coast. AGSSRFU is committed to defend Goa's rivers and coastal areas from these and all other blue grabbers and calls upon people of Goa to actively join the resistence movement against Marina that has history of nearly 14 years.

AGSSRFU has already filed its objections before Goa Government authorities against Marinas.

It is also revealed from the online video that blue grab is not restricted to Nauxim Marina alone but has declared its intention to spread wide for these vested interests are determined to destroy Goa marine based economy of small scale fishing communities. AGSSRFU will continue to resist and defend Goa's coastal and riparian banks from luxury tourism escapades. AGSSRFU has already objected to water sports activities in Zuari river, Off shore casinos and water sports activities in Mandovi river, Water sports in Arabian Sea off Caranzalem coast as well as Blue Flag proposal of tourism Department for Siridao beach due to negative effects on fishing activities carried on by small scale fishing communities.

In the meantime AGSSRFU is deeply concerned about the dangerous situation that has arisen due to leakage of chemicals from Paradeep Phosphates in Velsao Beach from 24 May 2024 causing significant fish mortality and irreversible damage to marine ecology threatening livelihood of 400 fishing families in South Goa. 

In order to meet these challenges to livelihoods of small scale fishing communities in Goa AGSSRFU calls for collaborations at various levels with various civil organisations for synergistic power and impact.

Shaila D'mello

President

Laximan Mangueshkar,

Secretary