PANJIM: The traditional fishermen's catch is dwindling day by day. Even if they go as far as Vasco they return with miserable quantity of fish. Government has not provided any functional speed boats to coastal police to nab hundreds of Malpem trawlers which plunder the Goan coast.
On Thursday it was a heart rending sight to see Benaulim fisherman Pele weeping on camera, during Herald TV's discussion Point CounterPoint titled "Destroyers of Goan Fishing: LED lights and gensets".
Pele narrated how it takes one and half hour to go to Vasco, but one canoe returned with a basket of mackerels while the other two returned empty handed.
Even as August and September are peak months there is no fish left for them amid bull trawling and LED fishing. Pele narrated how huge trawlers from Malpem come in hundreds by day and fish close to the Goan shore, wiping out the fish by bull trawling. He also said by night they do LED fishing. The fish is completely depleted due to this massive assault on fishing resources.
Pele said that the coastal police have no speed boats to catch the Malpem trawlers which have big engines. Often he has lent his speed boats to the marine police to catch them.
Ahead of Ganesh festival they would net tons of squids. This year there is nothing. He feared if survival of Goan traditional fishermen is at threatened, God forbid they may be driven to suicide just like the Punjab farmers.
You can watch the full discussion of Point Counter Point on this link
