Goa Assembly debate on fishing: A review

MLAs who supported small fishing communities yesterday 19 July 2024 in Goa Legislative Assembly: Cruz Silva (AAP), Viresh Borkar (RGP), Reginald Lourencó (Ind), Sankalp Amonkar (BJP), Adv.Carlos Ferreira (INC), Vijay Sardesai (GF), Altone D'costa (INC), Jennifer Monserrate (BJP), Michael Lobo (BJP) and Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao (INC).

They supported in diverse ways, diverse capacities, diverse issues connected with small scale fishing communities. 

All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union (AGSSRFU) wish to thank all of them and desires that others turn sensitive too.

AGSSRFU look forward to further agenda of small scale fishing communities in Goa with collaborations and partnerships with civil society. Looking forward to your co-operation in this regard.

Goa Legislative Assembly debates Marina at Nauxim

Nauxim Marina came in the Legislative Assembly today at 11.30 am. Government has presented some documents including objections. Few letters from All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union are also presented.

The Legislative question was raised by MLA Cruz Silva of AAP. Few other MLAs also opposed like Viresh Borkar of Revolutionary Goans Party, Adv. Carlos Ferreira of INC, Vijay Sardesai of Goa Forward and Reginald Lourenco, Independent. They raised multiple grounds for opposition including ownership of river bed being with State Government as per land revenue code 1968, existence of scheduled II species Windowpane oyster under Wildlife protection act, livelihood of thousands of fishing community families on Zuari coast, enforcement of Public Trust Doctrine etc.

Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao backed up the opposition to Marina.

Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant as well as Environment Minister Alexio Sequeira stated that application of Marina project proponent hasn't been decided upon.

It is very good development that Marina discussion has reached at this level to be debated at State Legislative Assembly.

We hope that those MLAs representing Zuari coast and are directly affected will also speak up at the opportune time. These legislatures as named by Viresh Borker includes Rudolph Fernandes of BJP (elected as INC) representing Santa Cruz Constituency, Antonio Vas Independent representing Cortalim Constituency, Jennifer Monserrate of BJP representing Taleigao Constituency and Babush Monserrate representing Panjim Constituency. 

Marina is sought to be installed in Zuari river based on 2010 lease deed between Mormugao Port Trust and M/s Kargwal Constructions Private Limited.

Measures required to halt illegal mechanised Fishing

Measures required to stop illegal mechanised fishing within specified area on permanent manner:

1. Patrol boat must be stationed at Dona Paula. Keeping it at Vasco puts its staff under influence of mechanised fishing lobby.

2. Night patrolling is not existing from Fisheries department. Mechanised fishing is ongoing in Zuari river at least five trawlers during night time after 10.30 pm.

3. Fisheries Control room phone number is often off the hook or non responsive during night time. On occasions when calls are answered no Patrol boats are dispatched to nab the offenders. Staff of Fisheries department responsible to operate patrol boat are absent. They have no duty allocated during night time. Night staff must be introduced on Patrol boat.

4. Records of those those booked for illegal fishing must be released in public domain every fortnight including on website of the Fisheries department 

5. Regular committee to review illegal mechanised fishing be set up consisting of Fisheries department, Captain of Ports, Coastal Security Police and the two representatives of the Petitioner (All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union) duly authorised by the General Body. Review committee must be bestowed with responsibility and powers to review and suggest additional measures required to curtail mechanised fishing.

6. According to the Goa marine fishing law mechanised fishing cannot be done upto 5 kms from the coast, let alone inside the Zuari estuary. This should be made known to all concerned by the government.

7. Punishments - fines and cancellation of licence should be there.

8. Records for complaints - written or verbal, phone or message - should be kept. Staff responsible for  unattended complaints should also be punishable.

Stop harrasment to SSF communities!

 04 July 2024

To,

The Director,

Department of Fisheries,

Government of Goa,

Panaji, Goa

Sub: Harassment to enter Fisheries department office

Madam,

It has come to our attention that security personnel at the ground floor entrance to Fisheries department office is involved in harrowing those visiting the office of Fisheries department. 

One such incident we wish bring to your notice that at 10.41 am on 26 June 2026 some fishermen connected with our Union were told to sign some notebook with security personnel. While they were signing the notebook one person came and security personnel let him go without signing the notebook. Security when questioned informed that that person is one ex-MLA and trawler owner. Security personnel also informed that there is standing instructions from Director of Fisheries to wave off recording of the names of ex-MLAs to the department. He also told that as per directions of Director of Fisheries only the small scale fishers are required to register at the security register because they are involved in exposing various scams in the department by getting electronic media and other press attention to the office of Director of Fisheries.

Security also insulted fishermen with rude utterances. This we condemn strongly.

We wish to know the content of directions issued to the security and the list of ex-MLAs who are exepted from signing register at the security of Fisheries department entrance as there is no list was exceptions were displayed at the entrance.

Most fair way of proceeding ahead on this is to make every member of public sign the security register as Fisheries department is perceiving security threats and no one must be allowed to enter the office - including ex-MLAs - without signing security register. Discrimination in registration at security entrance you must stop immidiately.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

Shaila D'mello

President, AGSSRFU

Laximan Mangueshkar

Secretary, AGSSRFU

Goa CM towards making Villages vulnerable to mining industry, but why?

Why Goa CM is so determined to make Goa villages vulnerable to mining industry?

Goa Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant is in Delhi on a mission rather sinister: to ask for the exception of application of provision (i) of the Office Memorandum dated 29 October 2014 issued by Indian Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change dealing with safety of village roads from transportation of mineral ore that reads as follows:

"Transportation of the minerals by road passing through the village shall not be allowed. A 'bypass' road should be constructed (say, a leaving gap of at least 200 meters) for the purpose of the transportation of the minerals so that the impact of sound, dust and accident could be mitigated. The PP shall bear the cost towards widening and strengthening of existing public road network in case the same is proposed to be used for the project. No road movement should be allowed on existing village road network without appropriately increasing carrying capacity of such roads."

What Goa CM is proposing is very dangerous. He is challenging established environmental jurisprudence of India designed to defend village integrity from mining menace.

When he and the Project Proponent (PP) knew that there were no legal access roads that are available for the transportation of mineral iron ore in Pilgao and Mayem then it was wrong in the first place to go for the auctioning of the ore. It was double wrong to go for the public hearing by concealing this information in EIA report.

So the first wrong has been committed by Goa Government by going for auctioning of Bicholim Mineral Block I to Vedanta Private Limited without ready access road on ground.

The second wrong is committed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change by granting Environmental Clearance without legal access road to transport extracted iron ore.

Under no circumstances villagers of Mayem and Pilgao and other villages should be put to risk by opening their village roads for transportation of minerals from any of the mining companies.

Office Memorandum provides safeguards from impact of sound, dust and accident. Goa CM is attempting in Delhi to make our villages vulnerable to the impact of sound, dust and accident from mining ore transportation. Goa has has lost far too many lives due to mining triggered accidents over the past decades and CM desires more blood and lives of people of Goa.

This CM Sawant is certaintly acting against village safety interests on behalf of mining industry. In fact he should be flung out of his chair much before any of the cabinet ministers like Govind Gawde.

Mining in Goa has roots in Portuguese colonial rule and has continued unabated after 18 December 1961 veto by Soviet Union at UN security council that allowed India to annex Goa through conquest. Mining is top most industry that has corrupted Goa's polity and Chief Minister is its highly corroded beneficiary. As a consequence he is unable to represent people of Goa inpite of elections and represents only mining industry that has enslaved Goa CM. Slave has no mind of his own but has to obey master's orders. Who is the master of Goa CM Sawant for whom he is behaving in this bizarre manner? Undoubtedly it's mining industry that rules his mind and he doesn't think twice before betraying people of Goa. Election is more of Commerce than anything else. Democracy is hijacked by mining industry.

It's mining industry that moves his gloves to Delhi to box out 29 October 2014 office Memorandum of MOEF&CC and make villages in Goa vulnerable to mining industry.

Call for braod alliance on Velsao fish mortality in Arabian Sea

AGSSRFU calls for broad alliance around Velsao fish mortality due to corporate negligence

All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union (AGSSRFU) decided to extent support and Solidarity with fishing communities of Velsao in South Goa who are opposing fish mortality in Arabian Sea at Velsao Beach due to release of poisonous chemicals in sea water from nearby ferlizer plant on nearby hill top.

Fishing Union took this decision to this effect on June 10, 2024 after Union representative of the carried on site visit to the Velsao beach on the same day when dead fish was abundant on northern stretch of Velsao beach.

AGSSRFU has also taken cognizance of various complaints on this topic lodged with various authorities in Goa. AGSSRFU was alerted with statements in press issued by the leadership of Goenche Fuldle Pidke Khatir (GFPK). GFPK statement was noted by Pradip Chaterjee, National Convenor of NPSSFW (National Platform for Small Scale Fish Workers) in Kolkata and directed AGSSRFU to examine the issue further.

Subsequently AGSSRFU noted primary complaint from an NGO Goencho Ekvott to Velsao Panchayat dated 27 May 2024 complaining about fish mortality.

We have also noted complaint filed by Goechea Ramponkaracho Ekvott (GRE) dated 28 May 2024 addressed to Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) and other authorities.

We have also noted video put out on this subject of fish mortality by Cortalim MLA Anton Vas online https://youtu.be/9jfaRqlmX3Y?si=wq1jogEnnvu-q8X_

AGSSRFU has also taken note of detail video interviews from local fishermen from Velsao named Aliston Pinto posted online https://youtu.be/_vDZkCqKRiQ?si=XrPMoUJoFjLmsoUP and expresses support and Solidarity with him. Fertilizer plant Paradip Phosphate must be held accountable for the release of toxic liquid in Arabian Sea waters at Velsao Beach.

AGSSRFU considers decision to locate fertilizer factory on the hill is wrong ab initiao and time has arrived to correct past political mistake even though culprit is India's top business tycoon Birlas at who house M.K. Gandhi was shot dead in 1948.

Allocation of Sancoale hill top communidade land to Birlas was more of reward of war spoil after Soviet Veto power at United Security Council on 18 December 1961 handed over territory of Goa to India. Indian corporate house Birlas then considered pollution of Velsao waters as its patrimonial rights from 1975 onwards. AGSSRFU salutes all the hard work and toil carried on to combat this insult to Goa's fishing coast by Mathany Saldanha from 1975 onwards. 

AGSSRFU in this context calls for co-ordinated movement around fish mortality at Velsao Beach and request all the organisations involved including fishing organisations to start dialogue with each other to forge broad alliance with common minimum agenda of addressing marine water pollution and fish mortality from Paradeep Phosphate. AGSSRFU is committed to forge ahead this process. 

Shaila D'mello

(President)

Laximan Mangueshkar

(Secretary)

Call for advisory against fishing through use of bleaching powder

24 June 2024

To,

The Director,

Department of Fisheries,

Panaji, Goa

Subject: Call to issue advisory against fishing through use of bleaching powder

Madam,

It has come to our attention that during last two weeks of May 2024 several spots in Goa's fishing waters was subjected to fishing through use of bleaching powder. This is indeed very dangerous. 

Further our inquiries has revealed that such destructive fishing is being carried on every year during month of May. The observed consequence of such use of bleaching powder is not only instant death of fish but also fish forbidding of the spot of bleaching powder use for the entire year.

This was discussed at the meeting of All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union (AGSSRFU) held on 10 June 2024. It was decided to request the office of the Directorate of Fisheries to issue advisory against fishing through bleaching power application with wider publicity and notifications to all the fishing associations/co-operatives/Unions in the State of Goa.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

Shaila D'mello

(President)

Laximan Mangueshkar

(Secretary)

Monsoon fishing ban violations

24 June 2024

To,

The Superitendent of Police,

Coastal Security,

Panaji, Goa 

To,

The Director,

Department of Fisheries,

Panaji, Goa

To,

Captain of Ports,

Government of Goa,

Panaji, Goa

Subject: Five trawlers carried on illegal Mechanised fishing in Zuari river from 05 June 2024 to 23 June 2024 leading to serious violation of monsoon fishing ban and directions in WP 2844/23 at Goa Bench of Bombay High Court

Madam/Sir,

This is to bring to your attention that mechanised fishing through trawl fishing gear was carried on inside Zuari river from 05 June 2024 to 23 June 2024 from 10.00 pm upto well beyond mid-night at 02.30 am.

Complaints against mechanised fishing are reported at fisheries department control room whenever phone was in working condition but proved futile as no action was known to have been taken against mechanised fishing in violation of law.

You are requested to take urgent note on this breach and introduce night patrolling at Zuari river immidiately.

Please treat this letter as an urgency and take necessary measures to prevent trawling in Zuari river as required by law.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

Shaila D'mello

(President)

Laximan Mangueshkar

(Secretary)

Copy to:

Chief Justice,

Goa Bench of Bombay High Court, Porvorim, Goa

Sirigao Mining Public Hearing Tragedy

Today June 19, 2024. There was public hearing for Salgaocar mining project in Sirigao and Paira villages in Bicholim. Public Hearing was held near Zantye College, Bicholim.

Time allocated for each speaker was three minutes each. Project consultant was absent. Ramesh Gauns who was present and signed attendance sheet was not allowed to speak.

The way things have unfolded today points towards colonial character of the administration that is designed to silence public voices, stiffle dissent, loot Goa's Minerals infinitely, support mining scam permanently, democracy as facade. All these are fruits of Soviet Veto of 18 December 1961 at UN security council that allowed India to do in Goa all it did in Goa's mining belt including 35,000 crore unrecovered loot from mining companies and politicians.

Is Goa Government backstabbing Goa's fishing communities?

08 June 2024

Is Goa Government backstabbing Goa's fishing communities?

All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union (AGSSRFU) strongly condemns statements of the organizers of International Boat exhibition in Panjim that resistence to install Marina at Nauxim is because of misunderstanding.

Yacht and other luxury promoters has given their views online at https://youtu.be/xLKyB2EfVdY?si=JWZF2NOQNHb1sprZ  where in it is spoken that they are collaborating with Government of Goa to set up Marinas at various Ports and Jetties as a part of blue economy boosting. Is Goa Government backstabbing Goa's traditional small scale fishing communities?

AGSSRFU views this exhibition as a major move to expell fishing based livelihoods from Goa and conquest of Goa's coast for luxury tourism purposes. 

Boats exhibition promoters must understand that the resistence to Marina at Nauxim is about to complete 14 years coming October and is based on sound understanding of the lease deed between Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) and Mumbai based Kargwal Constructions Private Limited for Nauxim as well as lease deed between MPT and Chowgules for Sancoale wherein fishing activities at Zuari river is not even acknowledged. The marina lease deed is primarily biased against Goa's fishing communities involved in fishing based livelihoods in Zuari river.

Moreover destruction of fishing in Zuari river is conclusively stated in EIA report itself that Kargwal Constructions Private Limited got done through Chennai based Annamalai University that indicated that Marina at Nauxim will have Long term irreversible negative impact on Fisheries. Marina project proposal at Nauxim involves reclamation of 50,000 square meters of riverfront off Nauxim Beach for Marina infrastructure thereby completely destroying small scale fishing activities. This is an act of ecocide and major violation of International fishing law that India is a signatory to: VG-SSF Guidelines. It's an aggression par excellence.

The narrative of International boat exhibition promoters that Marina and fishing can go simultaneously is merely hot air released to misguide people of Goa.

AGSSRFU views attempts at pushing Marina at Nauxim as an act of expulsion of fishing communities through conquest of Zuari river coast. AGSSRFU is committed to defend Goa's rivers and coastal areas from these and all other blue grabbers and calls upon people of Goa to actively join the resistence movement against Marina that has history of nearly 14 years.

AGSSRFU has already filed its objections before Goa Government authorities against Marinas.

It is also revealed from the online video that blue grab is not restricted to Nauxim Marina alone but has declared its intention to spread wide for these vested interests are determined to destroy Goa marine based economy of small scale fishing communities. AGSSRFU will continue to resist and defend Goa's coastal and riparian banks from luxury tourism escapades. AGSSRFU has already objected to water sports activities in Zuari river, Off shore casinos and water sports activities in Mandovi river, Water sports in Arabian Sea off Caranzalem coast as well as Blue Flag proposal of tourism Department for Siridao beach due to negative effects on fishing activities carried on by small scale fishing communities.

In the meantime AGSSRFU is deeply concerned about the dangerous situation that has arisen due to leakage of chemicals from Paradeep Phosphates in Velsao Beach from 24 May 2024 causing significant fish mortality and irreversible damage to marine ecology threatening livelihood of 400 fishing families in South Goa. 

In order to meet these challenges to livelihoods of small scale fishing communities in Goa AGSSRFU calls for collaborations at various levels with various civil organisations for synergistic power and impact.

Shaila D'mello

President

Laximan Mangueshkar,

Secretary