MARGAO: Traditional fishermen from South Goa have criticised the State government for seeking to promote sand extraction and tourism activities in the River Sal and say that such activities will result in them losing their livelihood.
The group of fishermen were responding to the stance taken by the Environment Department that fish breeding zones need to be omitted from the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) , as there is insufficient data to support the marking of such zones. Deducing that the government is making these claims to go forward with its plans to allow sand extraction, the fishermen demanded that the Environment Department and Minister Nilesh Cabral meet them so that they can personally show them, and the State government, the fishing breeding zones in River Zuari.
Emphasising that they can show them the areas where various types of fish are present, including clams, oysters and mussels, the fishermen said that the areas near the bank of the river are also equally important as they provide access, for the fishermen to the river. “If the government does not have scientific data, that does not mean there is no scientific data. Traditional knowledge is ancestral knowledge. In the Mandovi River, maybe there is less fish due to garbage being dumped there, but there is abundant availability of fish in River Zuari,” they added. Apart from this, other proposed policies of the Central government includes notifying a Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) encompassing an area of only fifty metres. Also, commercial activities for fishermen’s houses as well as in fishing wards, which were not allowed initially, will now be permitted.
“We also oppose the statements made by the Tourism Department that fishermen who have houses near the river should give out a room on rent to tourists. This is not something that we take lightly, as our lives and homes are completely intertwined with our work,” the fishermen added. The traditional fishermen lamented that the government is making plans without taking them into confidence or hearing their views. They also criticised the authorities for not taking action against alleged illegal activities carried out by the mechanised trawler owners, and added that their grievances are always sidelined.