Report of the illegal fishing in Zuari River Siridao to Odxel belt February 2019

Date: 01/03/2019

Report of the illegal fishing in Zuari River Siridao to Odxel belt February 2019

Sr. No	Date	Time	Nature of Violation	Response of Fisheries Department
01	02/02/2019	7.00 am	15 Trawlers	No Action
02	02/02/2019	5.00 pm	15 Trawlers	No Action
03	02/02/2019	8.27 pm	03 Trawlers	No Action
04	03/02/2019	6.51 am	15 Trawlers	No Action
05	03/02/2019	2.02 pm	15 Trawlers	No Action
06	04/02/2019	7.00 am	27 Trawlers	No Action
07	04/02/2019	1.00 pm	18 Trawlers	No Action
08	04/02/2019	5.30 pm	06 Trawlers	No Action
09	05/02/2019	7.00 am	25 Trawlers	No Action
10	05/02/2019	1.20 pm	22 Trawlers	No Action
11	06/02/2019	7.39 am	18 Trawlers	No Action but Secretary (Fisheries) informed that Patrolling has started
12	07/02/2019	7.00 am	20 Trawlers	Fisheries control room disclosed that Coastal Police must be Patrolling.
13	07/02/2019	4.30 pm	12 Trawlers	Patrol boat has returned back after strong winds. Will inform Coastal Police.
14	09/02/2019	6.00 am	22 Trawlers	No Action
15	09/02/2019	1.45 pm	15 Trawlers	No Action. Illegal fishing continued till 3.30 pm
16	10/02/2019	7.25 pm	02 Trawlers	No Action
17	11/02/2019	5.30 am	02 Trawlers	No Action
18	11/02/2019	6.30 am	02 Purse seine boats	No Action. Fisheries control room phone number not working. Secretary (Fisheries) informed.
19	15/02/2019	7.35 pm	05 Trawlers	No Action. Fisheries control room phone found connected to Fax, calls did not go through. Coastal Security Police informed.
20	20/02/2019	4.00 pm	04 Trawlers	No Action
21	21/02/2019	5.40 pm	07 Trawlers	No Action as Coastal Police Boat shut down as per information from Fisheries control room
22	22/02/2019	2.45 pm	01 Trawler	No Action
23	23/02/2019	3.05 am	18 Trawlers	No Action
24	23/02/2019	2.42 pm	18 Trawlers	No Action. Fisheries Control informed: Fisheries staff on leave being Saturday, and Coastal Security Patrol boat is under repairs.
25	23/02/2019	3.25 pm	07 Trawlers	No Action
26	23/02/2019	3.50 pm	11 Trawlers	No Action
27	25/02/2019	2.00 pm	25 Trawlers	No Action. Illegal fishing continued toll 7.00 pm
28	26/02/2019	1.00 pm	14 Trawlers	No Action. Fisheries Control room informed that their only boat has gone for inspection of fishing stakes under High Court Order and hence not available for Patrolling in Zuari. Department sent request to Coastal Security Police Station at Ribandar but no response even beyond 3.00 pm. Secretary (Fisheries) informed.
29	27/02/2019	6.45 am	15 Trawlers	No Action. Illegal fishing continued till 9.00 am
30	27/02/2019	12.30 pm	15 Trawlers	No Action. Illegal fishing continued beyond 1.10 pm. Secretary (Fisheries) informed.

Observations:

1.       Coastal Security Police has refused to shoulder burden of illegal fishing in Zuari river saying that it is not their primary duty as per media reports.

2.       Most illegal fishing in month of February 2019 was carried on by Trawlers while there was one incident of illegal fishing by purse seine boats.

3.       30 incidents of illegal fishing reported in February 2019 involving 374 boats of which 372 are trawlers. In January 2019 there were 15 incident of illegal fishing involving 152 boats of which 151 was trawlers.

4.       Intensity of illegal fishing by trawling in Zuari river has doubled from January 2019 (151) to February (372). There is progressing deterioration of law and order situation in Zuari river due to illegal fishing by trawlers in 2019 within 5 kms from the coast where in trawl nets as well as purse seine nets are prohibited from use as per prevailing law – Marine Fishing Regulation Act 1980.

5.       Such large scale violation is leading to destruction of fisheries in Zuari river due to destruction of river bed reefs by use of trawl nets.

6.       There is need to carry on estimate of damage caused by trawling to Zuari river bed ecology during first two months of 2019 and take effective measures to enforce total ban on trawling including impounding to offender trawlers under section 18 of the Goa, Daman, and Diu Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1980.

7.       Primary duty to maintain law and order at Sea is with Fisheries department under section 4(2)(c) of the Goa, Daman, and Diu Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1980. The capacity of Goa Fisheries department in this context of law and order is in completely damaged state. This needs drastic turn around.

Protest and Objection against TCP guidelines granting exception for tourism related projects for change of Zone in Ecologically sensitive areas

Date: 20/02/2019

To,

Mr. Vijay Sardessai,

Minister of Town and Country Planning,

Government of Goa,

Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa

To,

Secretary (TCP),

Government of Goa,

Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa

To,

The Chief Town Planner,

Town and Country Planning Department,

Government of Goa,

Panjim, Goa

Subject: Protest and Objection against TCP guidelines granting exception for tourism related projects for change of Zone in Ecologically sensitive areas

Sir,

It has come to our attention from the news report in Herald on February 19, 2019 Page 2 with caption “Ecologically sensitive areas not to be considered for change of zones: TCP”. The report quotes new guidelines in a box item with caption as “Noteworthy Point” as follows: “Projects which are recommended by Goa Investment Promotion Board (IPB) shall be given due consideration. The area to be considered under Section 16B shall have adequate access and shall as far as possible be in the vicinity of existing settlement / developed area and projects in isolation from the existing developed area shall be as far as possible discouraged except for public utility and tourism related projects”.

We wish to let you know the context of our protest against the guidelines as it constitutes encouragement for land conversion - even in low lying paddy fields, water bodies, biologically active mud flats, khazan lands, flood prone areas - into settlement zone. The Capao (Vanxim) Island proposed tourism plans consists of five star hotel and several luxury villas in Mandovi river and two proposed marina projects in Zuari river near Nauxim and Sancoale villages are located in such eco-sensitive areas destined to destroy Zuari river fisheries; all regrettably recommended by IPB in spite of public objections. These guidelines of TCP department to provide exception for zone conversion to settlement to facilitate tourism related projects are unfortunate, thoughtless, malicious and insensitive to ecologically sensitive Areas. We condemn these TCP guidelines.

You are therefore called upon to immediately intervene and withdraw exception granted to tourism related projects in ecologically sensitive areas in TCP guidelines under reference.

Thanking you.

Yours sincerely,

         Sd/-

Maggie Silveira

President - Goa Unit

Enclosed: Copy of Herald report published on 19^th February 2019 referred in the above letter.

Copy to:

1.      Chief Executive Officer, Goa Investment Promotion Board, Spaces, Panjim, Goa

2.      Minister of Industries, Government of Goa, Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa

3.      Secretary (Industries), Government of Goa, Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa

4.      Minister of Fisheries, Government of Goa, Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa

5.      Secretary (Fisheries), Government of Goa, Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa

6.      Director of Fisheries, Government of Goa, Panjim, Goa.

7.      Secretary (Tourism), Government of Goa, Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa

8.      Minister of Tourism, Government of Goa, Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa

9.      Director of Tourism, Government of Goa,Panjim, Goa

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Goa Illegal Fishing

There is large scale trawlers fishing illegally within 5 kms on everyday basis in Zuari river inspite N number of letters as well as phone calls to fishers control room and coastal security police station at harbour, Vasco. What is the use of  the office of secretary (fisheries) existence? So also director fisheries? And also the office of the Minister of Fisheries including the office of Goa Coastal Police? Is this the way they are going to give service to people where all trust is lost?