Having a fisheries corporation would benefit the fishing community:GFBOA Jose Philip D’Souza

Goa Fishing Boat owmers association ( GFBOA ) president and former Minister Jose Philip DSouza on Wednesday said that having a fisheries corporation would benefit the fishermen community in the state. D’Souza said that the proposal was in the pipeline but was not implemented and if taken up , it would help jetties get cold storage ,toilets ,illumination and the fisheries department could buy from local fishermen and the prices of fish could be regulated and offer fresh fish to people.
DSouza also said that NOC for extension of fishing jetty at Kharewado was obtained from MPT and the same was given to the state government but the department was yet to take up works. Stating that the condition of the prevailing jetty was in a dilapidated condition ,D’Souza said that it was vital that the present jetty be repaired, extended and built on priority.
DSouza also thanked
the fisheries department and fisheries Minister for having stopped the fishing Trawlers from neighbouring states who used to fish at the shore line causing inconvenience to Trawlers owners and traditional fishermen. “The Trawlers from other states would scoop away smallest of the fish from the shoreline causing a lot of losses to Goan fishermen who are already sinking with low business. ”
“Every trawler has around 40 crew and there is loss of exependiture incurred and sometime we cannot cover the costs and as many as 25 boats have not been operating.
For the last week. There are around 3 Trawlers from Malpe which has been detained by fisheries department and as many as 200 Trawlers would ship together and even threaten fisheries department staff and later the fisheries department with the help of coastal police , took action on the Trawlers from Malpe who had been continuously fishing in Goan waters and along the shoreline.
There was no effect to local fishetmen if these Trawlers had to fish in deep waters and the fish has already been auctioned .
These boats have capacities of 600 horse powers and they were given permission to fish beyond 12.5 nautical miles but these Trawlers would come in Goa because they felt Goan enforcement agencies were weak. ” Said D’Souza