Goa: Seafood set to return as trawlers and rampons venture back into sea

TNN | Updated: Apr 13, 2020, 13:13 IST

Almost 50% of trawlers have left Malim jetty, while others could not because of lack of ice from the factory,

PANAJI: A day after the directorate of fisheries exempted marine fishing activity from lockdown restrictions following the green signal from the Union home ministry, the fishing community of Goa has ventured back into the sea .
Most boat owners have immediately resumed fishing activities, since their crew, who were at sea during the lockdown, returned by April 1 and were stationed at the jetty after anchoring their vessels, said Francis Dsouza, president of the Mandovi fisheries cooperative society.
Almost 50% of the trawlers have left Malim jetty, while others could not because of lack of sufficient ice from the ice factory. This was also the case at Cutbona where trawlers were raring go but none were able to do so for want of availability of ice for the vessels. President of Cutbona Boat Owners Association, Savio D’Silva, said that as most of the ice plants were shut during the lockdown period, sufficient stock of ice wasn’t available at the plants to meet the demand that arose suddenly. D’Silva said that the situation would normalise by Monday.
This has come as a welcome relief for many boat owners since they were worried about the fate of their crew, who had limited rations.
“The labourers on the jetty were at risk of contracting Covid-19 since they were on land and could come in contact with others. The crew will be safer at sea and can carry out fishing activities seamlessly. Operations will start in full swing in the next two days,” said boat owner Francisco Fernandes.
Besides fishing trawlers, traditional fishermen are also ready to venture into the waters. However, only some ramponkaar took to their nets on Easter Sunday, which was the first day of the lifting of the ban.
“The main ramponn fishing has not started yet during the day owing to the high tide. But locals have been taking advantage of the ban and fishing on the beach, for their own consumption. ,” said Caetano Souza, a traditional fisherman from Caranzalem.
The fisheries department issued a circular on Saturday asking fishing vessels and fishermen to follow 14 conditions while carrying out fishing, as well as fish sale.
The fishermen are to adhere to strict guidelines maintaining social distance, wearing gloves and masks and using sanitisers.