Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) has sharply criticised the Directorate of Fisheries, accusing it of repeatedly failing to curb widespread illegal fishing by trawlers from other States, including vessels from Malpe in Karnataka and boats from Maharashtra and Gujarat that routinely enter Goan waters.
GRE General Secretary Olencio Simoes said that despite years of complaints, these out-of-State operators continue to engage in destructive practices such as bull trawling, pair trawling and, more recently, LED light fishing. According to him, the unchecked activity has been devastating for the local marine ecosystem and has severely affected the livelihood of traditional Goan fishermen.
Simoes alleged that the Fisheries Department and enforcement agencies have shown no seriousness in tackling the issue, claiming that illegal trawlers operate without fear, damage nets belonging to local fishermen, and even intimidate them at sea. “We have complained again and again, yet nothing meaningful has been done. The authorities appear either reluctant or incapable of enforcing the law,” he said.
GRE has also expressed alarm that court-mandated directives have not been implemented. The High Court of Bombay at Goa had ordered strict enforcement by the Coast Guard, Coastal Police and Fisheries Department, with compliance to be reported within three months. GRE fears that the authorities may have submitted inaccurate updates to the court since no real on-ground action is visible.
The organisation has urged Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Fisheries Minister Nilkanth Halarnkar to step in immediately. Their demands include urgent amendments to the Goa, Daman and Diu Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1980—particularly Rule 11—to introduce tougher penalties, including a ₹10 lakh one-time fine on any non-Goan fishing vessel caught operating illegally in restricted or territorial waters.
GRE has further called for the full implementation of the High Court’s orders: formation of a 58-member enforcement team, procurement of five patrol boats for the Fisheries Department, seven patrol vessels for the Coastal Police, and round-the-clock Coast Guard surveillance of Goa’s territorial waters and the Exclusive Economic Zone.
The organisation warned that illegal fishing is continuing “even right now,” causing irreparable damage to marine life and driving Goan traditional fishermen into desperation. If authorities continue to remain inactive, GRE said it will have no option but to launch a statewide agitation.
