Fire extinguisher in fishing canoes and insurance of the fishing crew

05/06/2025

To,

The Director, 

Directorate of Fisheries,

Government of Goa 

Panjim, Goa

Subject: Follow up to our visit to your office on 29.05.2025 to discuss issues of fire extinguisher in fishing canoes and insurance of the fishing crew etc...Regarding

Madam,

Delegation from All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union (AGSSRFU) visited your office on 29.05.2025 to discuss and clarify the issues of mandatory installation of fire extinguisher in fishing canoes and mandatory insurance of the fishing crew and fishing vessel. 

We met officials of the Fisheries department that includes Deputy Director Dr. Smitha Majumdar, Superitendent of Fisheries Varsha Naik and Fisheries Officer Aniya Naik.

In this context we submit as under:

1. On Mandatory fire extinguisher: queries were raised on the legal basis of the decision. It was informed by Fisheries Officer that legal basis is Merchant Shipping (Fire Appliances) Rules, 1990. Department officials did not share gazetted copy of this law with us nor produced any notification from the Direction of Fisheries indication that 1990 central government legislation is going to be enforced against fishing canoes in Goa in 2025, after the gap of 35 years. It was concluded that due to these reasons fire extinguisher cannot be made mandatory for any fishing canoes in Goa.

2. On Crew insurance: it was noted that officials from the Fisheries department are insisting on fishermen getting the private insurance for fishing canoes crew. On this count it was pointed out during the meeting that as per Rule 3 (3)(ii)(e) of the Goa Marine Fishing Regulation (sixth ammendment) Rules 2021 the fishing vessel shall posses "a certificate of insurance coverage of its members and the fishing vessel". Thus the rule does not specify that it needs only private insurance coverage. There are two government schemes in this context that we wish to draw your attention to:

1. Group accidental insurance scheme

2. Corpus Fund Scheme

We therefore urge you that insurance coverage of fishing vessel crew be enforced through the above two schemes without resorting to private insurance companies. 

Kindly take this on priority attention and ensure that fishers are not harassment and troubled in this regard.

Thanking you.

Yours Truly,

Shaila D'mello

President

Laximan Mangueshkar

Secretary

Copy to Minister of Fisheries, Government of Goa