Ahead of the new fishing season, the Cutbona Boat Owners Federation has dashed off a letter to the government to allow the Federation to manage the fishing jetty under the supervision of the Fisheries Department.
The letter from the Federation assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of the fact that the Fisheries Department had taken over the control and management of the Cutbona fishing jetty a couple of years ago. Since then, the boat owners have been at loggerheads with the Fisheries Department over the deficiency of services and the non-maintenance of the fishing jetty by the Fisheries director.
In fact, the Federation’s letter to the Fisheries director to allow the body to regulate, supervise and monitor the functioning of operation of the fishing vessels and related/allied activities at the Cutbona fishing jetty comes following a meeting of the managing committee held at the jetty earlier this month. The meeting had detailed discussions on a host of issues plaguing the fishing jetty and called for fast tracking the action on urgent issues, overcome certain shortcomings and ensure smooth functioning of the fishing jetty.
In this respect, the Federation has urged the Fisheries director to allow the Cutbona Boat Owners Federation to install closed circuit TV cameras, street lights, bollards, water pipeline for cleanliness and maintenance of the jetty. Complaints have been galore from the boat owners over the non-functioning street lights at the fishing jetty. In fact, boat owners had complained of thefts that have taken place onboard the fishing vessels anchored at the fishing jetty during the fishing ban period. The request to allow the Federation to regulate and supervise by allowing them to manage the jetty under the guidance of the Fisheries director assumes significance given that the department had assumed control of the jetty since taking over the jetty management a couple of years ago.
That the Federation requested the Fisheries Department to allow the Federation to register the fish traders through the Federation in order to safeguard the members against their non recovery of dues assumes significance given that Fisheries Department has been directly registering the fish traders by levying fees. Boat owners had pointed out that though the Fisheries Department had taken over the power to register the fish traders, the department was not assuming the responsibility in the event the fish traders do not pay the dues owed to the boat owners.
It has been further requested to the department to make compulsory to obtain NOC from the Cutbona Boat Owners Federation for purchase/ transfer of trawlers operating or to be operated from the Cutbona fishing jetty. Boat owners have contended that while the Fisheries Department has taken over the management of the jetty, there’s been no correspondent provision for amenities at the Cutbona fishing jetty, which has over the years evolved from a small fishing jetty to Goa’s largest fishing hub.
So far, the boat owners have not received any invite from the Fisheries minister nor the Fisheries director for discussions on their request. A delegation of the Federation has decided to call on the Fisheries minister as well as the Chief Minister to consider their request at the earliest.