Digital evidence on illegal mechanised fishing in zuari river

 22 February 2024

To,

Superitendent of Police, 

Coastal Security

Panaji, Goa

To,

Director of Fisheries, 

Government of Goa,

Panaji, Goa

Subject: Digital evidence of illegal fishing in Zuari river in reference to our complaint dated 01/02/2024 to your office with regard to writ petition 2844 of 2023 before Goa Bench of Hon'able Bombay High Court 

Sir/Madam,

Please pendrive containing digital evidence illegal fishing in Zuari River for the purpose of prosecution and action against those trawlers and purse seine boats caught on GPS camera. 

From 20 February 2024 to 21 February 2024 some members of All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union (AGSSRFU) has received phone calls from someone claiming to be policeman attached to Coastal Security Police Station, Harbour, Vasco using mobile phone number 9922976943. Caller has been inviting our Union leadership to strike a compromise on illegal mechanised fishing at River Zuari.

We strongly condemn such invitation from this caller for compromise in illegal fishing in Zuari river and request your attention to the following issues:

1. Who authorised caller to give phone calls to AGSSRFU members to compromise on illegal mechanised fishing?

2. AGSSRFU if required to be present at police station, concerned officials of Coastal Police station must share call letter inviting for the meeting along with the purpose of such meeting with us.

Kindly note once again that we stand to co-operate fully with coastal security police to nab the illegal trawlers and purse seiners provided police follow proper procedure by inviting our Union with call letter.

Kindly also note that we will not tolerate any undue pressure from police to compromise with those committing crimes of illegal fishing through trawling and purse seine in Zuari river as this matter is sub-judice before Goa Bench of Bombay High Court via Writ petition no. 2844 of 2023 and we will report pressure on us to compromise to the Hon'able Court.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely, 

Shaila D'mello

President 

Laximan Mangueshkar

Secretary

Copy to 

1. Police Inspector, Coastal Security Police Station, Harbour, Vasco, Goa

2. Deputy Superitendent of Police, Coastal Security, Ribandar, Goa