Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Saligao MLA Kedar Naik has dismissed reports suggesting that two Goan trawlers seized by Maharashtra Fisheries officials are connected to him, insisting that neither vessel is owned by him nor registered in his name.
Naik said his family has traditionally been involved in the fishing business, but stressed that he has distanced himself from daily operations after entering politics.
According to him, the four trawlers his family owns were leased out to other operators, and the allegations are part of an attempt by the opposition to tarnish his image.
Maharashtra authorities on Thursday intercepted two Goan trawlers for allegedly fishing within the state’s territorial waters using banned LED lighting systems.
Officials said the action was taken for breaching maritime boundaries and deploying prohibited equipment that poses a risk to marine ecosystems.
Speculation had surfaced that one of the detained vessels might belong to a Goa BJP legislator, adding a political dimension to the enforcement action.
Fisheries officials have begun a detailed probe to determine full ownership records and to crack down on the use of illegal LED fishing gear, which has been flagged as environmentally harmful.
