Goa's fishing dispute touches Agassaim MLA?

According to information just received large number of trawler owners have assembled today 20th September 2017 at from 11.30 am onward at the residence of Agassaim MLA Francis Silveira asking for his intervention to allow trawlers share in fishing in Zuari in violation of law. 

Francis Silveira called up one of the fishermen on Zuari coast to ask whether they are willing to share river to allow illegal trawler fishing in Zuari. Traditional Fishermen has strictly refused to let trawlers carry on illegal fishing in Zuari river. BMM appreciates MLA Silveira's decision to phone and consult traditional fishermen on this issue.

Bharat Mukti Morcha (BMM) calls upon Agassaim MLA Francis Silveira not to get carried away into supporting illegal and ecologically dangerous fishing in Zuari within 5 kilo meters from the coast as per existing law and ban on trawling in rivers of Goa including night fishing.

It may be recalled that earlier this month in rare and courageous act Goa Fisheries minister Vinod Paliekar cracked down on rampant illegal fishing in zuari and placed director of Fisheries Dr. Shamila Monteiro on suspension . Click here for links. BMM supports this action of Goa Fisheries Minister.

Trawling is well known for causing depletion of fishing grounds and wastage. This has been well captured by Bikram Dasgupta's poem "The Mackerel and the Sea Birds". Click here for links.

BMM is opposed to illegal fishing in Zuari violating existing laws that define the distance from the shore, technique of fishing and size of fishing nets with no compromise on long term sustainability of Zuari river as fishing venue for traditional fishing.

Records of illegal and ecologically trawler and mini per seine fishing in Zuari river

Date: 30/01/2017

To,

The Director,

Directorate of Fisheries,

Panjim, Goa

Subject:  Illegal fishing in Zuari river: Your action needed

Madam,

We here present to you date-wise fishing rights violations in River Zuari. Your urgent attention and action is needed

No.	Date	Nature of Fishing Rights violation in Zuari	Nature of Action required
01	29:01:2017	Four trawlers carried on fishing from 3.00 am way beyond 8.00 am. One trawler no. 166 (Manohar) and another trawler no. 982 (Monteiro). Identity of remaining two not known.	Action against erring trawlers. 24 hour patrolling of river by Fisheries department to prevent such violations.
02	29:01:2017	One mini per seine boat carried on illegal fishing. Boat sighted inside the river at 7.45 am	24 hour patrolling of river by Fisheries department to prevent such violations.
03	11:01:2017	At 4.00 am eight trawlers carried on illegal fishing near Siridao coast.	24 hour patrolling of river by Fisheries department to prevent such violations.
04	17:01:2017	At 2.00 pm twelve trawlers carried on illegal fishing at Siridao-Cacra shoreline	24 hour patrolling of river by Fisheries department to prevent such violations.
05	16:01:2017	From 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm 10 trawlers carried on illegal fishing close to Nauxi-Siridao Coast.	24 hour patrolling of river by Fisheries department to prevent such violations.
06	10:12:2016	Five trawlers carried on illegal fishing very close to Odxel-Cacra shore within 200 meters at 3.45 pm.	24 hour patrolling of river by Fisheries department to prevent such violations.
07	07:12:2016	Three trawlers carried on illegal fishing near Odxel – Carca coastline within 500 meters at 2.30 pm.	24 hour patrolling of river by Fisheries department to prevent such violations.
08	06:12:2016	Eleven trawlers carried on illegal fishing at close to Odxel-Cacra-Nauxim coastline at 4.15 pm.	24 hour patrolling of river by Fisheries department to prevent such violations.
09	23:11:2016	At 5.00 pm forty trawlers carried on illegal fishing. Director of Fisheries did not answer phone calls.	24 hour patrolling of river by Fisheries department to prevent such violations. Director of Fisheries must communicate directly to Fishermen when called up in emergencies like case of illegal fishing.
10	23:11:2016	At 7.00 am forty mini-per seine boats carried on illegal fishing close to Siridao, Odxel and Cacra coast.
11	22:11:2016	At 6.00 am thirty mini per seine boats carried on illegal fishing.	24 hour patrolling of river by Fisheries department to prevent such violations.
12	21:11:2016	At 4.00 pm six trawlers carried on illegal fishing near Cacra coast. At 7.00 am 20 mini per seine boats carried on illegal fishing at Odxel-Nauxim-Siridao Coast. At 8.50 am 10 mini per seine boats carried on illegal fishing.	24 hour patrolling of river by Fisheries department to prevent such violations.
13	16:11:2016	At 8.40 am 20 mini per seine boats carried on illegal fishing in Zuari	24 hour patrolling of river by Fisheries department to prevent such violations.
14	07:11:2016	At 7.00 am forty mini per seine boats carried on illegal fishing.	24 hour patrolling of river by Fisheries department to prevent such violations.
15	04:11:2016	At 7.00 am 30 mini per seine boats carried on illegal fishing near Nauxim, Siridao, Odxel and Cacra coast.	24 hour patrolling of river by Fisheries department to prevent such violations.
16	01:11:2016	At 7.00 am 30 mini per seine boats carried on illegal fishing at Nauxim, Siridao, Odxel and Cacra coast. At 8.25 am there were still tem mini per seine boats carrying on illegal fishing.	24 hour patrolling of river by Fisheries department to prevent such violations.

You may note that the Earth Charter

(http://earthcharter.org/invent/images/uploads/echarter_english.pdf)  in its Principle 15 (C) reads as follows “Avoid or eliminate to the full extent possible the taking or destruction of non-targeted species.”

You may be aware that per seine and mini-per seine nets is all about destruction of non targeting species. Fisheries department has not taken any steps to defend the eco system of Zuari river and allowed mini-per seine boats and trawlers to go on a rampage with their nets of even less than 5 mm in size that catches tiny fish that is either discarded or sold as fertilizer. This is gross insult to fish eating people in Goa and body blow to the eco system of Zuari river.

We call upon you to act on two grounds:

1.       Install 24 hours monitoring of Zuari river for illegal fishing

2.       Limit the net size of those carrying on fishing to 25 mm

Your prompt will be highly appreciated.

Thanking you,

Yours Sincerely,

           Sd/-

Maggie Silveira,

President, Goa State

           Sd/-

Sanjay Pereira

Convener, Cacra unit  

            Sd/-

Rohidas Andrade

Convener, Bambolim unit

             Sd/-

Soccoro Braganza

Convener, Siridao Unit

             Sd/-

Anthony Cardozo

Convener, Curca Unit

           Sd/-

Sitaram Pereira

Convener, Odxel Unit

       Sd/-

Milind Palkar

Convener, Nauxi unit

           Sd/- 

Chandrakant Lotlikar

Secretary, Siridao Unit

          Sd/-

Hanuman Dias

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

        Sd/-

Honu Dinkar,

Co-convener, Odxel Unit

           Sd/-

Deu Kankonkar

Secretary, Nauxi Unit

            Sd/-

Yeshwant Shirodkar,

Co-convener, Odxel Unit

           Sd/-

Manguesh Sawant,

Odxel unit

          Sd/-

Amir Mardolkar,

Co-convener,

Nauxim Unit

         Sd/-

Francis Coelho,

Co-convener,

Nauxim Unit

          Sd/-

Dulba Pereira,

Co-convener,

Cacra Unit

       Sd/-

Santosh Gauns,

Co-convener, Cacra Unit 

         Sd/-

Sheila D’mello,

Co-convener, Cacra Unit

            Sd/-

Santosh Kukalkar,

Co-convener, Cacra unit

Copy :

1.  Minister of Fisheries, Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa

2.  Superintendent of Police (Coastal Security), Panjim, Goa

3.  Secretary (Fisheries), Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa