PANAJI: director of fisheries Shamila Monteiro on Thursday submitted to the Bombay High Court in Goa that it is compulsory for ship owners to obtain a valid pass from the fisheries department when the boat goes out to sea to fish, failing which they are liable to a fine.
She testified that when these passes are issued, departmental officials monitor the vessels before they venture out.
The court heard a DIPs Dropping by Goa Foundation overuse of LEDs while fishing.
Monteiro said that by an order dated November 20, 2020, various officers of the department were instructed to inspect fishing vessels for the use or installation of fishing gear, namely LEDs, light attractors for fish or other light-emitting equipment.
In the name of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Deputy Inspector General Himanshu Nautyal said the Coastal Police and the Fisheries Department inspected the trawlers on the shore/piers before departure, and added that the Fisheries Department must further ensure that the boats are not carrying gear to engage in bull trawling or pair trawling at the fishing license issuance stage.
He added that rigorous checks on fishing boats before setting sail will automatically ensure that they are not carrying such gear.