Expressing its shock and outrage over the recent development, Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) has termed the reduction of the monsoon ban from 61 days to 47 days as a sinister plan to eliminate the fishermen of Goa. General Secretary and National Fishworkers Forum Vice-Chairperson, Olencio Simoes stated that the Ministry of Fisheries, , Animal Husbandry and Dairying Department of Fisheries order dated May 25, 2020 reducing the monsoon ban from 61 days to 47 days is bad for the fishermen and it will make Goa like Norway, Denmark, Oman, New Zealand, Australia etc where fishing was banned for several years due to overexploitation. Simoes reiterated that the action taken by Assistant Commissioner (AC) Dr. Sanjay Pandey is unjust in nature. He said it looks like the AC and his department plans to displace 80,000 fishermen of Goa and that Dr Pandey has no idea whatsoever about the current situation of the wild fisheries in Goa. He further referred to the order, which pointed out that as the Ministry of Home Affairs had banned fishing in EEZ from March 24, 2020 to April 10, the government was planning to compensate the fishing restriction due to COVID-19 and therefore reduce the fishing ban to 47 days and compensate the loss incurred to fishing boats owners. But sadly the new fishing ban will not benefit the traditional fishermen or the fishing boat owners as their canoes and boats are small in size and cannot sail due to the stormy weather. But this ban will only benefit deep sea trawlers like pursiners and LED light owners in Goa” GRE stated. Agnelo Rodrigues President of GRE added that the objective of the fishing monsoon ban, aims at conserving fish species during monsoon, which is the spawning season for many varieties of fish, including shrimp. Monsoon is the breeding season of nearly 300 species but all this will be altered or destroyed. Instead of increasing the fishing ban the central government has reduced the ban even after knowing that there is a severe drop in catch of wild fisheries in Goa and India, said Agnelo. Therefore we demand that the State government and the Fisheries Department work in the interest of the fishermen of Goa and not to reduce the monsoon ban to 47 days, failing which we will be forced to take to streets. Olencio added.