Call to set up Fisheries Defence Study Cell at Directorate of Fisheries

Date: 14/12/2017

To,

The Minister of Fisheries,

Government of Goa,

Secretariate, Porvorim,

Goa

Subject: Call to set up Fisheries Defence Study Cell at Directorate of Fisheries

Sir,

We congratulate you for your firm and effective action in restoring law and order in  River Zuari. We also thank you for speaking out publicly in defence of traditional fishermen and stopping Trawlers and mini per seine boats from plundering Zuari River. We also thank all the staff of Fisheries department as well as OSD to your office Durgadas Kamat who worked as team to attain these results. We also thank Talegao MLA Jennifer Monsorrate as well Town and Country Planning Minister Vijay Sardessai for their supportive roles towards defence of River Zuari and fishing in it from 15/11/2017. We also appreciate Govind Jaiswal IAS for the way he has handled Fisheries Department specially dealing with response in action to all our complaints relating to Trawlers and mini per seine boats fishing in Zuari illegally as well as environmentally hostile manner.

After attaining splendid results from 29/11/2017 we were shocked to read media reports calling for your resignations as fisheries minister. We have taken note of your conversation with our Cacra Convenor Sanjay Perreira on the subject and had special meeting to disscuss the issues raised by few from All Goa Fishermen's Forum. We found merit in most of the points reported in newspapers (Lokmat and  Navhind Times) of 07/12/2017 but we have no competency to comment except in one issue.

Former Velim MLA Benjamin Silva who is also the President of Cutbona Fishermens Co-operative Society has accused you for speaking without studying. You also spoke vocally on our issues in Zuari about illegal trawlers and illegal mini per seine boats and therefore we find it our duty to intervene here to request you to apply your mind thoughtfully.

We noted that Fisheries department even though has staff of 203 people its orientation is restricted alrgely to Subsidies and Schemes. After our complaints enforcement orientation has come to the fore as important aspect along with ripples. The Fisheries department must now widen its orientation to include study aspect. BMM therefore requests you to set rolling orientation on Studies on Threats to Fishing activities. We attach here review of the book 'An unnatural history of  Sea' by Callum Roberts as our first contribution towards setting up Fisheries Defence Study Cell. You may order copy of the book for you personally or to your office from internet sources. You are requested to read and discuss this in groups, share it to organisations of fishermen, With Chief minister and other cabinet ministers and MLAs, ex-MLAs and public, holding study cum reflections sessions much more rigorously with wide publicity. It is very important to do this in the interest of defense of fisheries as well as fishermen in Goa.

The perspective outlined in the book is global threat to fisheries and initiation of discussions on this will be step forward after exhibition of fish variety and habitats from various parts of the World at the just concluded mega fish festival 2017 in Panjim organised by Fisheries department.

Hoping for your positive response in long term interest of defense of fisheries in Goa,

Thanking you,

Yours Sincerely,

Maggie Silveira,

President, Goa State

Sanjay Pereira

Convener, Cacra unit

Rohidas Andrade

Convener, Bambolim unit

Socorro Braganza

Convener, Siridao Unit

Anthony Cardozo

Convener, Curca Unit

Sitaram Pereira

Convener, Odxel Unit

Milind Palkar

Convener, Nauxi unit

Ms. Kalpana Diukar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Chandrakant Lotlikar

Secretary, Siridao Unit

Hanuman Dias

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Honu Divkar,

Co-convener,Odxel Unit

Deu Kankonkar

Secretary,Nauxi Unit

Yeshwant Shirvoikar,

Co-convener,Odxel Unit

Manguesh Sawant,

Co-convener, Odxel unit

Amir Mardolkar,

Co-convener,Nauxim Unit

Francis Coelho,

Co-convener,Nauxim Unit

Ms. Jaya Kuttikar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Jonu Shirvoikar,

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Uttam Martins

Co-convenor, Cacra unit

Rohit Hadkonkar,

Co-convenor,  Bambolim unit

Sanju Diukar,

Co-convenor, Odxel unit

Chandranath Rosario,

Co-convenor, Cacra unit

Vijay Sawant,

Co-convenor, Cacra Unit

Ragunath Sautodkar,

Co-convenor, Cacra Unit

Ms. Sheila D’mello,

Co-convener, Cacra Unit

Ashok Kukalkar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Ganashyam Diukar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Mahadev Andre Rosario

Co-convenor, Nauxim Unit