18th February 2016
To,
Vishnu Surya
Wagh, Dy. Speaker &
The Member of
Legislative Assembly,
St. Andre
Constituency,
Goa
To,
Mr. A.
Monsorrate,
The Member of
Legislative Assembly,
Santa Cruz
Constituency, Goa
To,
Mrs. Jenifer
Monsorrate,
The Member of
Legislative Assembly,
Taleigao
Constituency,
Goa
To,
The Sarpanch,
Taleigao
village Panchayat,
Taleigao, Goa
To,
The Sarpanch,
Santa Cruz Village
Panchayat,
Santa Cruz,
Goa
To,
The Sarpanch,
Curca-Bambolim-Nauxim
Panchayat,
Bambolim, Goa
To,
The Sarpanch,
Siridao
village Panchayat,
Siridao, Goa
To,
The Sarpanch,
Agacaim
village Panchayat,
Agacaim, Goa
Subject:
High Level Irresponsibility by Directorate of Fisheries
Madam/Sir,
We
thank you for your past co-operation towards the cause of traditional fishermen
in Zuari River. Once again we are compelled to approach to you serious nature
of Fishing Rights violations in Zuari River. In our last letter to you dated
December 28th 2015 we had presented to fishing rights violations
that took place from 17/12/2015 upto 27/12/2015. We hoped that in the New Year
2016 we would not be compelled to lodge more complaints in this regard. However
our daily documentation has revealed the complete breakdown of Fisheries
department machinery in tackling the ongoing fishing rights violations in Zuari
River chiefly by illegal trawling and illegal mini per seining. As you are
aware both these are not only illegal but also ecologically damaging to the
sustainability of fisheries. Our complaints to the Fisheries department of the
past have not met with satisfactory results. Hence we call upon your attention
to look into this as present to dairy of 37 fishing rights violations from
28/12/2015 to 17/02/2016.
No
|
Date and Time
|
Nature of Fishing Rights Violation in Zuari River
|
01
|
28/12/2015 at 5.45 pm
|
2 mini-per seining carried on illegal
fishing near Nauxim Coast
|
02
|
29/12/2015 at 5.30 pm
|
3 mini-per seining carried on illegal
fishing. 2 near Bambolim and 1 near Siridao
|
03
|
30/12/2015 at 4.45 pm
|
2 mini-per seining carried on illegal
fishing at Nauxim Coast
|
04
|
31/12/2015 at 6.00 pm
|
2 mini-per seining at Nauxim Coast
carried on illegal fishing
|
05
|
03/01/2016 at 9.45 pm
|
2 mini-per seining carried on illegal
fishing near Bambolim
|
06
|
03/01/2016 at 12.45 pm
|
15 mini-per seining carried on illegal
fishing on Siridao – Odxel coast
|
07
|
04/01/2016 at 7.30 am
|
15 mini-per seining illegally lifted more
than 25 tons of solar and white prawns from Siridao-Odxel coast
|
08
|
05/01/2016 at 6.00 am
|
10 mini-per seining boats carried on
illegal fishing at Siridao-Odxel coast
|
09
|
05/01/2016 at 8.40 am
|
2 trawlers close to Cacra carried on
illegal fishing
|
10
|
05/01/2016 at 9.00 am
|
22 mini-per seining boats carried on
illgal fishing at Siridao-Odxel coast. Marine Police contacted, came on the
site and went back without taking any action. Match fixing suspected.
|
11
|
09/01/2016 at 5.00 am
|
Two mini-per seining carried on illegal fishing
near Siridao - Bambolim coast.
|
12
|
11/01/2016 at 3.30 pm
|
15 trawlers carried on illegal fishing
within 200 meters of Siridao – Odxel Zuari coastline.
|
13
|
12/01/2016 at 3.50 pm
|
6 trawlers near Odxel Coast carried on
illegal fishing
|
14
|
16/01/2016 at 3.10 pm
|
5 trawlers near Siridao – Odxel coast
carried on illegal fishing
|
15
|
18/01/2016 at 5.00 pm
|
8 trawlers carried on illegal fishing at
Siridao – Cacra coast. SMS campaign was launched to expose these violations.
Fisheries department was annoyed. Superintendent of Fisheries called Rohidas
Andrade, Bambolim convener of Bharat Mukti Morcha questioning the need for
sms campaign. Rohidas was then told to wait till Superintendent report to the
site. Even after awaiting for 90 minutes no official from Fisheries
department turned up. We wonder as to why department is wasting our time and
energy.
|
16
|
19/01/2016 at 3.15 am
|
6 trawlers carried on illegal fishing
near Siridao early morning.
|
17
|
19/01/2016 at 10.00 am
|
12 trawlers carried on illegal fishing
|
18
|
19/01/2016 at 1.00 pm
|
8 trawlers carried on illegal fishing
|
19
|
20/01/2016 at 1.15 pm
|
4 trawlers carried on illegal fishing
|
20
|
20/01/2016 at 1.40 pm
|
6 trawlers carried on illegal fishing
|
21
|
20/01/2016 at 7.50 pm
|
4 trawlers carried on illegal fishing
|
22
|
21/01/2016 at 2.30 pm
|
13 trawlers carried on illegal fishing
|
23
|
22/01/2016 at 5.50 pm
|
2 trawlers carried on illegal fishing
|
24
|
23/01/2016 at 5.10 pm
|
5 trawlers carried on illegal fishing
near Odxel coast
|
25
|
24/01/2016 at 5.10 pm
|
5 trawlers carried on illegal fishing
near Odxel coast
|
26
|
26/01/2016 at 5.50 pm
|
2 trawlers carried on illegal fishing.
|
27
|
28/01/2016 at 8.50 am
|
2 trawlers carried on illegal fishing
|
28
|
28/01/2016 at 4.40 pm
|
22 trawlers carried on illegal fishing at
Siridao-Odxel Coast. Fisheries department responding to calls from fishermen
replied that their patrol boat has suffered breakdown. Later in the evening
one official from Fisheries department informed that patrol boat is okay and
purposely it was not sent at the site of violations. This is pathetic way of
functioning of the fisheries department.
|
29
|
29/01/2016 at 3.20 pm
|
15 trawlers carried on illegal fishing
atr Nauxim-Odxel coast.
|
30
|
30/01/2016 at 3.50 pm
|
2 trawlers carried on illegal fishing
near cacra – odxel coast.
|
31
|
02/02/2016 at 5.00 pm
|
3 trawlers carried on illegal fishing
|
32
|
04/02/2016 at 3.30 pm
|
13 trawlers carried on illegal fishing at
Carca-Odxel coast.
|
33
|
05/02/2016 at 4.00 pm
|
22 trawlers carried on illegal fishing. Harbor
Police replied that there is no diesel in their patrol boat.
|
34
|
06/02/2016 at 4.40 pm
|
6 trawlers carried on illegal fishing
near Odxel coast.
|
35
|
10/02/2016 at 9.10 am
|
10 trawlers carried on illegal fishing.
|
36
|
11/02/2016 at 3.15 pm
|
10 trawlers carried on illegal fishing
|
37
|
17/02/2016 at 2.30 pm
|
6 trawlers carried on illegal fishing
near Siridao - Odxel coast.
|
This
data indicates that there have been 37 instances of fishing rights violations
as documented by Bharat Mukti Morcha units at Zuari Coast. Trawling
particularly has taken its toll of the riverbed as trawling involved digging of
the river bed. This is ecologically harmful style of fishing. This type of
fishing is being carried on inspire of it being outlawed by law in rivers.
In
addition to this we also want to bring to your kind attention that trawling and
mini-per seining also takes place during night time. Due to darkness we are not
able to give your proper count.
Kindly
take immediate steps to stop illegal fishing during day and night. As per the
above data in the table the safe conclusion is that there is high level of
irresponsibility in its functioning.
Bharat
Mukti Morchas calls upon you to act responsibly and stop illegal fishing in
Zuari River. Install permanent 24 x 7 fishing patrol vessel in Zuari River
Thanking
you,
Yours
sincerely,
Maggie Silveira
President,
Goa State Unit
Sanjay Pereira
Convener,
Cacra unit
Rohidas Andrade
Convener,
Bambolim unit
Soccoro Braganza
Convener, Siridao Unit
Anthony Cardozo
Convener,
Curca Unit
Sitaram Pereira
Convener,
Odxel Unit
Milind Palkar
Convener,
Nauxi unit
Chandrakant Lotlikar
Secretary,
Siridao Unit
Hanuman Dias
Co-convenor
Odxel Unit
Honu Dinkar,
Co-convener,
Odxel Unit
Deu Kankonkar
Secretary,
Nauxi Unit
Bikaro Dias
Co-convener,
Odxel Unit
Yeshwant Shirodkar,
Co-convener,
Odxel Unit
Manguesh Sawant,
Co-convener,
Odxel unit
Amir Mardolkar,
Co-convener,
Nauxim Unit
Francis Coelho,
Co-convener,
Nauxim Unit
Dulba Pereira,
Co-convener,
Cacra Unit
Santosh Gauns,
Co-convener,
Cacra Unit
Sheila D’mello,
Co-convener
Cacra Unit
Santosh Kukalkar,
Co-convener
Cacra unit
Copy
to (1) Minister of Fisheries, Secretariat,
Porvorim, Goa
(2) Secretary (Fisheries), Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa
(3) Director of Fisheries,
Panjim, Goa
(4) Chief Secretary,
Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa
