Trawlers plunder Benaulim coast

According to available evidence nearly 14 trawlers plundered Benaulim coast by fishing illegally within specified area today 06 August 2025 morning. Distance looked ridiculously short - within 200 meters from the shore.
 

There was no sign of any Fisheries surveyors, Fisheries officers, Superitendent of Fisheries, deputy director of Fisheries, director of Fisheries, Secretary to Fisheries (IAS) nor Minister of Fisheries was around with any preventive nor combative strategy in place even though all of these officials are paid through public taxes to do so.

Few days ago dozen trawlers were caught on camera destroying Cavelosim coast in South Goa with plunder of fish through illegal fishing. 

Trawlers are licensed to carry on their fishing beyond 5 kms from the shore but the evidence suggests that trawlers care a hoot for the laws of Goa State. 

Trawling damage is magnified through bull trawling and LED fishing that has brought Goa Fisheries to the brink of collapse and Goa Fisheries department has no clue as to what needs to be done on this we planned attack on Goa Fisheries. 

Last month of August Trawler owners issued public video statements condemning fishing in cannoes by Colva fishers during monsoon fishing ban. However these trawler owners are yet to condemn violation of fishing through trawling within specified area of 5 kms forbidden for mechanised fishing. Clear cut practice of double standards observed by trawlers owners.

What is surprising is that Goa Fisheries Minister Nilkant Halarnkar has been announcing drone surveillance to trap trawlers while doing illegal fishing. It looks like he announcement are merely empty words without any matching action over waters. Truly sad state of affairs in Fisheries governance in Goa.

Pictures presented here are with GPS co-ordinates and serves as undisputed evidence of crime. The point is that Goa Fisheries department is behaving toothless to crackdown on illegal trawling.

Fisheries Control room has dedicated helpline 0832-2425263 in Panjim. However it's best that you call up when crime is being committed in the Arabian Sea off Goa coast by trawlers and find out as to how Fisheries department staff are effective or ineffective. Well known past experience so far is that perpetrators of crime in waters get informed immidiately of the complaint and even phone number of complainant is shared with mechanised fishers and to top it all mechanised vessel owners/agents for further detrimental consequences of intimidation. 

The two incidents of illegal trawling in Cavelosim coast few days ago and today in Benaulim indicate that there is collapse of enforcement mechanism of Goa Fisheries department. And it is very important that this fact be recognised and steps taken to turn things around. It is already the situation wherein criminal nexus between trawlers and Fisheries department be broken and Goa Fisheries be protected and insulated from plunder of the mechanised fishers. Earlier it happens better it is. 

Call to stop police harrasment of youth Royen Fenandes

Please call up Colva Police Station on its landline 0832-2788396 and lodge your protest against Police harassment to Royen Fernandes of Benaulim

According to the information just received talented youth Royen Fernandes from Benaulim has been repeatedly called to Colva Police Station headed by Police Inspector Theron D'costa without serving call letter. This makes Police engagement with Royen Fernandes suspicious.

According to the details available Police campaign started against Royen for unknown reasons on Friday April 28, 2023 when he received call from lady Police officer connected to Colva Police Station at night time 10:54 pm calling Royen to the police station. Mobile number used to make this call to Royen is 7030948254. Royen is a male and not female.

This was followed by Police Jeep visit to Royen's residence at around 10.30 am on Saturday April 29, 2023. Jeep had two male policemen and one lady police. They too did not serve any call letter to Royen Fernandes and called him to the Colva Police Station. Royen was not at home. Cops then kept verbal message with Royen's uncle that Police will arrest Royen in the night time. This is further cause of suspecting police action. Names and buckle numbers of these police personnel is not yet known. Police Jeep registration number needs to be traced. These details are needed to file compliant against these policemen before Police Complaints Authority headed by a retired Judge.

Next today, Tuesday, May 02, 2023 one policeman on motorcycle visited Royen's residence at 6.30 pm and wanted Royen to come to Colva Police Station. Royen did not go and asked for call letter. Police did not serve any call letter this time too.

Then after few minutes at 06.43 pm Royen received another phone call from 8975356753 who identified as policemen attached to Colva Police Station and asked Royen to report at Colva Police Station.

Theron Fernandes is known ro be acting under political pressure and trapping innocent people speaking out against injustice. While he was PSI at Coastal Security Police Station at Harbor, Vasco he contributed towards successful framing of Sanjay and Cosme in false case filed by purse seiners from Vasco : Gracias Coutinho and two others. He registered criminal case, filed FIR, Submitted the charge-sheet to two courts in Vasco - deputy collector and senior division at Vasco, and made sure that harassment is prolonged in duration. It continues from 2019 till date and Deputy Collector has already thrown out the case. He derived some sadistic pleasure from such cruel act. This deed will keep haunding him time and again. Click here to know more on how PI Theron D'costa functioned while serving as PSI in Harbour Coastal Security Police Station.