Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott demands Ouster of Fisheries Director Vinesh Arlenkar
Margao-Goa : Agnelo Rodrigues President of Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) lambasted the Fisheries Department and demanded immediate resignation of fisheries Director Vinesh Arlenkar for completely failing to discharge his duties and upholding the law ever since he has taken charge as Fisheries Director. This is the first time since 1981 , that the monsoon fishing ban has been violated by the mechanized trawler and has gone unnoticed.
The monsoon ban comes into effect from 1st June to 31st July ,but the monsoon ban is blatantly violated by the mechanized trawlers and full fledged fishing is conducted in the sea. Further, despite warnings given, the trawlers are irrationally using banned LED lights and Bull/pair trawling gear which is in violation of Goa ,Daman and Diu Marine Fishing Regulation Act 1980.
Olencio Simoes General Secretary of Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott was shocked to note that complete violation of fishing Ban and use of banned gears like LED lights and Bull/pair are used during the ban period .This can be easily observed if one stands on any beach from North to South. We appeal to the fisheries Minister Vinod Palyekar to immediately bring situation under control ,as we are already facing 50% drop in fish catch like Mackerel, Sardine, Pomfret, silver fish,white prawn ,kingfish etc which were available in abundance throughout the year and is drastically reducing now. If such untoward violation of fishing ban and destructive gears persists , then we will be left without fish in our plates and the people of Goa will have to rely only on imported formalin fish.
Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott demands that the Minister immediately seize all boats which are freely sailing out in the sea .We urge that the replacement of the Director is necessary as he has failed to discharge his duties even after several delegations have confronted him about several violations of Goan trawlers taking place for the last 2 years within the state of Goa and outside the state of Maharashtra too.
Submitted by : Agnelo Rodrigues (President) and Olencio Simoes (Gen. Sec. of GRE, AGFU & Vice Chairperson of National Fishworkers’ Association)
