Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: Porvorim, Goa | June 5, 2025 — Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott (GRE), along with representatives from various fishing associations, met with Hon’ble Fisheries Minister Shri Nilkanth Halarnkar at the Secretariat in Porvorim to present an eleven-point charter of demands concerning the protection of traditional fishing practices and marine biodiversity in Goa.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, GRE General Secretary Olencio Simoes said that the delegation had a “detailed and constructive discussion” with the minister, who assured that the concerns raised would be addressed in a time-bound manner.
One of the primary demands reiterated by GRE was the strict implementation of the High Court of Bombay at Goa order dated May 8, 2025, which bans LED light fishing, bull trawling, and pair trawling. GRE urged the Fisheries Minister to issue immediate directions to the Coast Guard, Coastal Police, and Fisheries Department for the enforcement of the court’s seven-point directive, noting that violations — especially the continued use of LED lights — persist despite the ban.
GRE also called for an immediate ban on the use of diesel generators (gensets) on mechanized fishing vessels. According to Simoes, such equipment is being misused to operate illegal LED lighting systems, which not only violates court orders but also severely impacts marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of traditional fishing communities.
Highlighting a long-standing gap in regulation, GRE pointed out that no amendments have been made to the Goa, Daman, and Diu Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1980, in the past 45 years. GRE urged the government to introduce stringent amendments to the Act, including harsher penalties for violations and improved surveillance mechanisms, to effectively curb illegal fishing, particularly by vessels from outside Goa operating in territorial waters.
Additional demands presented to the minister included:
* Regulation of fish catch limits for purse seiners and deep-sea trawlers
* Increase in the monsoon fishing ban period to 90 days
* Enhancement of the petrol subsidy for fishermen, which has reportedly been reduced to ₹30,000
* Transfer of administrative control of the SGPDA wholesale fish market to the fishing community
Simoes emphasized that immediate and sustained action is essential to preserve Goa’s coastal ecology, protect traditional fishing occupations, and uphold legal directives. The associations await concrete steps from the Fisheries Department in the coming weeks.
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