Illegal fishing in Zuari river by trawlers and mini purse seine boats

Date: 27/08/2018

To,

FRANCISCO MANUEL SILVEIRA

Member of Legislative Assembly

St. Andre Constituency,

Goa

To,

ANTONIO CAETANCO FERNANDES

Member of Legislative Assembly

ST. Cruz Constituency

Goa

To,

JENIFFER MONSERRATE

Member of Legislative Assembly

Taleigao Constituency

Goa

Subject: Illegal fishing in Zuari river by trawlers and mini purse seine boats

Madam/Sir

During last one week there has been large scale illegal fishing ongoing in Zuari river. We have informed fisheries department over the phone but response has been poor. On August 25, 2018 fishermen captured three mini purse seine boats while fishing in Zuari river. By law this confiscation should have been done by government as per Rule 3 (2) of the Goa, Daman and Diu Fisheries Rules, 1981. However this is left for fishermen to do.

Today morning there were 45 mini purse seine boats till 9.00 am in the morning. There is total collapse of fisheries administration in Zuari river. According to Rule 10(1) of the same rules “No person shall use a net the mesh size whereof is less than 24 mm for catching fish and 20 mm for catching prawns” What is the mesh size of purse seine nets? Far less. How many of them are registered with fisheries department? None.

Goa Government banned trawlers from fishing within 5 kms from the shoreline under section (2)(H) and section 4(1) of Marine Fishing Regulations Act, 1980 on July 09, 1981. Still why there is continues trawling going in Zuari river, often within 200 meters from the shore? This is because Goa Government do not carry on patrolling even though it is supposed to be done under Rule (3)(3) of the above referred rules.

In 2017 Directorate of Fisheries via notification Order no. DF/ENF/ORDER/2016-17, Official Gazette, Series II, No. 41, January 12, delegated powers to take action on illegal fishing to the following:

1.     Deputy Director, Directorate of Fisheries

2.     Superintendent of Fisheries, Directorate of Fisheries

3.     Assistant Superintendent of Fisheries, Directorate of Fisheries

4.     Fisheries Officer, Directorate of Fisheries

5.     Police Inspector

6.     Police Sub-Inspector

7.     Assistant Police Sub-Inspector

8.     Head Constable

9.     Mamlatdar

10.                        Joint Mamlatdar

11.                        Block Development Officer (B.D.O)

You are therefore requested to convene meeting of these officials urgently to in order to stop illegal fishing incidents occurring regularly in Zuari river.

Thanking You,

Yours sincerely,

Sebastiao Rodrigues

Convenor, Goa State

Sanjay Pereira

Convenor, Cacra Unit

Soccorro Braganza

Convenor, Siridao Unit

Sitaram Pereira

Convenor, Odxel Unit

Milind Palkar

Convenor, Nauxim Unit

Ms. Kalpana Diukar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Chandrakant Lotlikar

Secretary, Siridao Unit

Hanuman Dias

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Honu Divkar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Deu Kankonkar

Secretary, Nauxim Unit

Yeshwant Shirvoikar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Manguesh Sawant

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Amir Mardolkar

Co-convenor, Nauxim Unit

Francis Coelho

Co-convenor, Nauxim Unit

Jaya Kuttikar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Jonu Shirvoikar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Ms. Sheila D’mello

Co-convenor, Cacra Unit

Ashok Kukalkar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Ganashyam Diukar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Uttam Martins

Co-convenor, Odxel 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

Mahadev Andre Rosario

Co-convenor, Nauxim Unit

Laxman Mangueshkar

Co-convenor, Siridao Unit

Copy to:

Director of Fisheries, Panjim, Goa