Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: In a significant move to combat illegal fishing practices, the Goa Fisheries Department has initiated a pilot drone surveillance program aimed at enhancing enforcement across the state’s coastal waters. The project specifically targets practices such as LED light fishing, which have long been criticized for their detrimental impact on marine life and traditional fishing livelihoods.
Speaking to the media in Porvorim, Fisheries Minister Nilkanth Halarnkar stated that drone technology is expected to substantially improve the department’s ability to monitor violations in real-time, especially in areas where conventional patrols are less effective.
“Over the past ten days, we have been conducting drone surveillance. Each drone can monitor up to ten kilometers of sea area, though our jurisdiction stretches to 12 kilometers offshore,” Halarnkar said. “The cameras can capture clear images of individuals on fishing boats. This is currently a two-month pilot project.”
The minister added that once the fishing season resumes, the department will be able to oversee vessel activity remotely from its headquarters in Panjim. This would be particularly effective in detecting the use of LED lights for fishing—a method banned due to its harmful environmental effects. A formal tender will soon be issued to extend drone operations for a full year.
Illegal methods such as bull trawling and LED light fishing have been a growing concern among environmental advocates and traditional fishing communities. These practices often result in the mass capture of juvenile fish and other non-target species, posing a serious threat to marine biodiversity and local economies.
Fisherfolk across the state have repeatedly called for stricter enforcement, harsher penalties, and a complete ban on destructive fishing techniques. The introduction of drone surveillance is widely seen as a positive step towards addressing these longstanding issues.
