Advisory issued to segregate fishing boats from sport vessels

Panaji: Goa Fisheries department has issued advisory to State Tourism department to segregate the conventional fishing boats from the water sports vessels, demarcating special area for them on the beaches. The advisory comes against the backdrop of the demand by Goan fishermen to demarcate their boats from the newly sprung vessels used for water sports across state's coastline.

State-run Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has taken cognisance over the apprehensions raised by the fisheries department about private vessels affecting the business of fishermen. After a detailed discussion on the issue in a meeting of GCZMA held recently, fisheries department has issued advisory to tourism department asking it to segregate the fishing boats from the water sports vessels, demarcating special areas for them on the beaches, a senior official said. "As far as the vehicles used for water sports activities are concerned, they need to be demarcated from the boats of traditional fishermen.

There needs to be proper demarcation between both the trades," Fisheries Director Sharmila Monteiro said. "Such a demarcation is required for uninterrupted traditional fishing alongside the coastal belt which gets huge tourist footfall," she said. The problem cropped up after GCZMA approved the installation of sheds for water sports activity at the beaches for the tourism season for next three years.

The GCZMA suggested fisheries and tourism departments to have a proper coordination between them to resolve the issues. Approximately 700 water sports operators are registered with tourism department, who have been granted NOC by the Captain of Ports (CoP) for operation. During the off tourist season, water sports activities are encouraged in rivers.