Goemakpronn desk
VASCO: Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) on Wednesday hit out at the fisheries department and especially the director Dr. Sharmila Monterio who visited Norway in March with LED light operators without taking any 46 fishing association confidence others.
GRE in a press release said that the international trip has shown a clear nexus between the LED light trawler owners and the fisheries director.
“These LED light operators has been operating illegally for 8 years and are responsible for overexploiting marine resources, which is why small trawler owners have already started quitting business due to the non-availability of fish in the ocean.” said the press release.
“GRE Vice President Camilo Souza stated that in the last season as well as the new fishing season every canoe is coming empty-handed due to the non-availability of fish in the ocean and the sole responsibility lies on the fisheries department and LED light operators, It is shocking that the fisheries department is pushing the used generator of upto 170kva for who? he questioned?
Souza stated that the generator with such high power is to only light up 16 to 25 of 1000 to 2000 watts It is sad that the fisheries director who was instrumental in passing the law to ban LED lights in 2016 is now advocating the use of LED lights openly.” said the press release
“Olencio Simoes general secretary stated Norway has several restrictions and laws to protect fisheries one of which Norway has recently banned fishing of salmon fish in 33 rivers of Norway’s to ensure that there are enough spawning fish in the river in autumn several restrictions imposed on every species, unlike Goa.
Simoes started looking at the distressed situation of the fishermen across the state it is high time that the monsoon ban be increased to 90 days as already done by the Gujarat government which has increased the ban from 61 to 76 days.” added the press note.
