Goan fish curry: People not convinced of export ban plan
InnorthGoa’spicturesque Parra village, morning meals haveformonthsbeenmissingits most important ingredient and an eternal favourite: The redspicy coated Bangar(Mackerel).
“Thefishpriceshavedoubledtripled in the last three years. A singlemackerelwouldwhichwe brought for 5 rupees now costs 20-25 rupees,” said Sandhya Gawde,ahousewifefromAnjuna village in the region.
“It is ironical that peoplecome to Goa for sea food while the locals cannot afford it.”
Gawde and other Goans are missing their staple fish from meals because supplies have crashed in recent months becauseofoverfishingandwater pollution, sending prices skyrocketing.
The crisis has reached such proportions that Goa’s fisheries minister Vinod Paliencar on Monday promised a ban on fish exports. “We are looking to ban exports. Goans do not get much fishtoeathere.Thereisaneedfor a ban,” said Palienkar.
His statement has sparked a debate in the state that derives muchofitsrevenuesfromthesix million tourists whomakeabeelineforitsscenicbeachesandseafood-based cuisine.
Exportersareworriedoverthe loss of revenuesandlocalfishermen say they back the move but demand cold storage to store the additionalfish.Goaexportedfish worth around ₹600 crore last year.
“Thebanwillhaveadetrimentalimpactonthestate’sandcountry’s economy,” said Maulana Ibrahim, Goapresident,Seafood Exporters Association of India, and added that the 40 tonnes of fish exported in a day cannot be dumped in the local market.
PANAJI:
The fishing community blamesexportersandmiddlemen for their woes. “There is absolutely no structure at all from which the local fishermen can benefit from,” said Olencio Simoes vice-chairperson, National Fishworkers Forum (NFF).
But for all sections, the real worry is the fast-declining catch of fish. Thestatefisheries departmentreportsathree-fold decline in mackerel catch between 2013 and 2016. Similarly, the catch of sardines has fallen from 80,849 tonnes in 2014 to less than 7,000 tonnes in 2016.
ARRESTS
Marinebiologistsblameoverfishing and excessive use of sophisticatedtrawlers,especially by exporters, and marine pollutionleadingtoadipintheoxygen levels.
“Pollution levels have increased across the coastline,” said Baban Ingole, a senior marine biologist at the National Institute of Oceanography in Goa.
“Thesituationoffishfamineis a problem being faced by almost all the states on the coastline includingMaharashtra,Goaand Karnataka due to the increased levels of pollutions.”
In a 2010 research paper, Ingole,Goa’sleadingmarinebiologist, had warned the government of a fish famine situation.
He had also added that the local favourite Mackerel would be the first to leave the Goan waters of the Arabian Sea.
“A decline has happened and thatiswhyweareworkingongetting the fish to the locals first. We willsetupcorporationsandstalls with subsidised fish. A proposal hasalreadybeensentbymetothe chief minister on this,” added Paliencar.