Confirmed shocking reality of Goa Fisheries Department

Confirmed reports have come in of massive illegal trawl fishing in Zuari river by around dozen trawlers on the night of February 06, 2023.

Confirmed reports have also come come in of massive illegal purse seine fishing in Zuari river by around another dozen boats on afternoon of February 07, 2023.

Confirmed reports have come in that both these incidents of fishing dacoity has taken place off coast of Cacra-Odxel coast of Zuari river.

Confirmed current legal status indicate that both - trawlers as well as purse seine - fishing gears are banned from use inside the rivers and within 5 kilometers from the shore. 

Confirmed reports indicate that when Fisheries Control room was informed over the phone it was replied that Fisheries department patrol boat is in dysfunctional state. In the age of technology Fisheries department cannot maintain 24 hours Patrol. It's totally disgusting to note.

Confirmed reports points out that Department of Fisheries, Government of Goa are complicit in these illegalities by establishing criminal nexus with the trawlers and purse seine fishing boats lobby as evident from the fact it's patrol boat has been kept in dysfunctional state for last three months. This is the state of affairs since 2014. Haftas collected needed to be calculated by Vigilance department. 

Confirmed reports indicate that trawl fishing gear digs river surface disrupting marine ecology intensely.

Confirmed reports indicate that purse seine fishing nets use mesh size of 8 mm where as approved legal permits 24 mm. 

Confirmed reports indicate that both trawlers and purse seine fishing depletes fish stock in rivers besides causing other problems.

Confirmed reports reveals that the responsibility of crackdown on illegal fishing by trawlers and purse seine fishing boats is with enforcement section within fisheries department and it has deliberately committed dereliction of duty by promoting and supporting illegal trawling and purse seine fishing in Zuari river.

Confirmed reports further reveals that the  said enforcement section of the Fisheries department has been in coma state when it comes to crackdown on illegal trawling and illegal purse seine in Zuari river over the past three months, it has been active and agile in hiking various fishing related registration fees, license fees and security deposit fees by 200 percent to 1000 percent of small scale fisheries. 

Confirmed reports of Goa Fisheries Minister Nilkant Halarnkar plunges in post truth state due to unknown causes as reveals from each of his statements to the media after the latest mega hike in fishing fees across board. Each of his statements are contrary to what the official Gazette records on massive fishing fee hikes.

Confirmed reports further disclose that Goa fisheries department has deliberately ignored several requests to increase fuel subsidies from Rs.50,000/- to Rs.75,000/-. Instead the said department has reduced these subsidies from Rs.50,000/- to Rs.30,000/-.

Confirmed reports indicate that even though fisheries department has increased fishing fees upto 1000 per cent it has not enforced its decision. As a result only those fisher registered are punished with economic terrorism of the Fisheries department. Other go scot fee. So Fisheries department either has enforce its rules across the board - for which there is popular resistence - or scrap the rules.

Confirmed reports reveals that in the face of mega illegal fishing in Zuari river Goa Fisheries Department has immersed in planning mega fish festival at Campal  Panjim on 10 to 12 February 2023.

Confirmed analysis of the brochure of the  said aqua life mega fish festival indicate that illegal fishing by trawlers and purse seine fishing in Zuari river is not placed for discussions on any of the festival days. This festival therefore is waste of public funds spent on fashion show, cooking and other entertainment that department is organising instead of increasing fleet of patrol boats with department of fisheries.

Confirmed facts reveals that Goa Fisheries Department cares a dam about aquatic life annihilated in illegal purse seine fishing in Zuari river and additionally marine ecology disrupted due to trawling in Zuari.

Confirmed reports indicate that while fisheries department has gone about increasing fishing fees it has completely neglected large scale plastic and effluent release in rivers that pollutes and hinders fishing activities.

Confirmed distilled insights indicate that entire Goa Fisheries Administration headed by an IAS officer as Secretary to Fisheries and Director of Fisheries is corrupted beyond limits. This indicates one of the series of collosal failures of India rule in Goa after the Annexure through conquest in December 1961.

All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union calls for drastic overhauling in priorities of the Goa Fisheries department as under:

1. Roll back of cut in fishing subsidies.

2. Roll back in fishing fee hikes to all except to Trawlers and purse seiners.

3. Increase fuel subsidies to Rs.75,000/-. 

4. Increase fishing patrol boat fleet to six from current one that is in perennial dysfunctional state. 

5. Appoint local people in Odxel and Cacra coast as quasi judicial officers to crackdown on illegal trawling and purse seine fishing in Zuari river as entire Goa Fisheries machinery has flopped.

6. Authorize use of local fishing connoes to counter illegal trawlers and purse seiners in Zuari.

7. Formation of task force to clean up plastic from the rivers of Goa till the plastic entanglement in fishing nets of stakes and gillnets is stopped.

8. Allocation of funds to attain above points nos. 3,4,5,6 and 7.