Fishing manifesto for Parliamentary Elections 2024

Hello Candidates for Lok Sabha Elections from Goa!

Greetings from All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union!

We wish to draw your attention to few points that need your attention as a candidate for forthcoming Lok Sabha elections from Goa:

1. National Waterways

All the six rivers (Chapora, Mapusa, Mandovi, Cumbharjua, Zuari, Sal) be excluded from National Waterways Act 2017. This will make rivers legally safe for fishing.

2. Marinas

Two proposals (Nauxim and Sancoale) for Marinas in Zuari river be canceled. Leased deeds for both be canceled. This will ensure unhindered fishing in Zuari river.

3. MPA

Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) be excluded from the scope of Major Ports Authorities Act. This will be helpful to make fishing safe for small scale fishers.

4. Blue Flag

Blue Flag certification proposal for Siridao and other beaches in Goa be revoked. Beaches are declared as fish landing centre and This should not be disrupted by providing exclusive and reserved access to any beach in Goa.

5. Subsidies

Fishing communities fuel subsidies and other facilities be increased for small scale fishers.

6. Plastics

Rivers of Goa be cleaned up of plastic garbage by stopping manufacture of plastics.

7. Mining

Mining in Goa has led to siltation of rivers. It has negatively affected livelihoods of small scale fishing communities. Recent scientific study by Scientists from NIO etc has published evidence to this effect. This needs be taken on board as Indian government is moving ahead to resume mining in Goa.

We request you to keep above seven points on your agenda I times ahead.

We will be happy to extend any further inputs on the above points should you decide to contact us back.

Thanking  you,

Yours sincerely

Shaila D'mello

President

Laximan Mangueshkar

Secretary

Objections to Blue Flag Accredition to Siridao beach

15 April 2024

To,

The Director of Tourism,

Government of Goa,

Paryatan Bhavan,

Panaji, Goa

Subject: Objections to Blue Flag Accredition to Siridao beach

Sir,

We have come to know from media reports (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/crz-nod-given-for-amenities-meeting-blue-flag-standards-at-siridao-beach/articleshow/109014044.cms) that Goa Tourism Department has taken nod from Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to provide Blue Flag certification to Siridao beach.

Our investigations in this regard has revealed the following insights:

1. The purpose of getting Denmark standards of Beaches is known as Blue Flag certification for portion of Siridao beach is for catering to the exclusive Tourism purpose. 

2. After interaction with gillnet fishers on Siridao Beach it is revealed that none were consulted by your office before taking the Blue Flag decision. This way of decision-making that exclude and dispense fishing communities from governance is a political tragedy.

3. The method of decision-making adopted by your office with regards to Blue Flag certification for Siridao beach threatens to expel fishing communities at Siridao from the fishing based livelihoods currently practiced at Siridao beach. This we totally object to.

4. Brief history of Blue Flag certification of Goa's Beaches reveals that Velsao and Miramar fishermen had already rejected the same during past years for creating threats to fishing occupations by intruding on to fishing boat spaces.

5. Fishing communities are bestowed with the role of "stewards" of the coast in SSF voluntary Guidelines, a piece of international law that India is signatory too. Non-consulting fishing communities on Blue Flag certification of Siridao beach therefore constitutes violation of international fishing jurisprudence and you are required to review your style of functioning vis-a-vis fishing communities on Siridao Beach and all other beaches in Goa. 

6. We request your office to maintain cleanliness of all the Beaches in Goa. Current status of Beaches in Goa including Siridao beach is pathetic. Beaches are littered with plastics and broken glass pieces. Due to wrong touristic publicity to Goa on its liberal liquor policy several groups of people are seen visiting Beaches, consuming alcohol and afterwards break the bottles on the beach itself creating health and safety issue for everyone working and visiting the beaches. This gross abuse has made several beaches in Goa including Siridao beach dangerous. You are requested to launch a program to address this rather than creating exclusive tourist use beaches with all the infrastructure objectionable to fishing communities.

All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union (AGSSRFU) in a meeting held on 11 April 2024 examined this issue of Siridao beach from fishing perspective and decided to initiate suitable moves.

We hereby request your office to abort your plans to designate Siridao beach as Blue Flag certified destination for exclusive tourist enjoyment and stop your practice of excluding local fishing communities from the decision-making process concerning Goa's coastal and riparian geographies.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

Shaila D'mello

President 

Laximan Mangueshkar

Secretary

Copy to

Director of Fisheries, 

Panaji, Goa

Member-Secretary, 

Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority, 

Panaji, Goa

Shri Viresh Borkar,

M.L.A, 

St. Andre Constituency,

Goa

Sarpanch, 

Village Panchayat,

Siridao, Goa

Blue Flag certification to Siridao beach?

 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/crz-nod-given-for-amenities-meeting-blue-flag-standards-at-siridao-beach/articleshow/109014044.cms

Whom did in Siridao Tourism Department consult before taking this decision of declaring Siridao beach for Blue Flag certification?

Why fishing Orgnisations/ Associations/Unions involved in fishing activities in Zuari river not consulted?

Why did consultative mechanism has been dispensed with by Goa Government?

Why this Blue certification issue being pushed through authoritative manner?

Why no one from Tourism Department nor from Coastal Zone Management Authority visited fishing communities engaged in fishing in Zuari before taking such major decision on Siridao Beach?

Tourism Department currently treats fishing communities with contempt as is reflected from its order to do away with need for NOC from Fisheries department in August 2022. Is Blue Flag another aggression and insult to fishing communities of Zuari river that needs Red Flag from fishing communities?

Aren't fishing communities on Siridao Beach live in peace without any colour classification to the beach?

Haven't Tourism Department messaged up fishing in Mandovi River through casinos already? This Department and GTDC want to spread their invasive tentacles even further to take entire Goa captive?

This issue is not just about Siridao. It's about Tourism Department taking control of Beaches unilaterally dispensing with consultative process and issuing declarations from the ivory tower. Who gave them the authority to do so?

Few years back in 2019 Tourism Department had declared Miramar beach for Blue Flag certification. Consultation was organised by North Goa Collector. At the consultation local fishermen opposed Blue Flag certification plan and Government had to stall its plans.

The issue is about pushing back institutional invasion of Goa's coast from Tourism Department and about reclaiming also the lost grounds. We need concerted efforts in this direction in innovative ways.

Please write back with your ideas or launch your own initiatives in this direction.