23:33 IST
the blue room,
Baina, Goa

We visited the trawlers’ dockyard today in Vasco. The place reeks of fish smell, obviously. And trawlers are huge, compared to the small traditional fishing boats. They are at least three times the size of a canoe, with huge nets that trawl or drag the seabed or at a certain depth mid-sea (depending on the type of the trawler) that enables them to catch a huge horde of fish together. They run by motor, travel large distances, stay out for days, and come back with a sizeable stock of fish.

Commercial trawling has been a controversial activity ever since it started in India. Trawlers and traditional fisherfolk have always been on opposing ends, with the fisherfolk complaining that the trawlers threaten their livelihood.

Goa’s 105km coastline is dotted with over 70 isolated fishing villages. Different traditional fishing communities, believed to be the original inhabitants of the state, called Kharvis, have lived in these villages. They are named after the type of nets they use – Ramponkars for rapon, Kantaikar for Kantaii, Magkar for mag etc. Ramponkars formed the largest community, and is often used an overarching term for all Kharvi traditional fisherfolk of Goa.

In the earlier days, the fisherfolk operated in bands of 20-25. Each band owned a shed by the sea, where boats and nets were housed, and license for fishing was obtained in the name of the band. The boats were owned by the landlord, who was entitled to a share in the catch, as were all those who invested in the equipment (wooden boat and net) and those who helped in the manual work.

The fisherfolk would fish in the shallow waters of the Arabian sea, within a distance of 2km. It was a self-sustaining livelihood.

The Portuguese, when they took over leadership of the state, did not interfere with the fisherfolk. They infact, encouraged them because they recognised them as guardians of the territorial waters, and facilitators of inland trade.

It was in 1952 when the Indo-Norwegian Project for “Development of West Coast Fisheries” was launched when trouble for the traditional fisherfolk began. There was a growing demand for fish produce globally, and India was expected to up its production by four times.

This was a time when mechanisation of fishing was brought about. First in Kerala, then slowly to the rest of the coast.

Till 1963, fishing was an activity controlled by the traditional fisherfolk, and fisheries in Goa was handled by the board of external trade and office of Captain of Ports.

In 1963, two years after the Indian government took over control of Goa, a department of Fisheries was created and several schemes were formed under a five-year plan to “develop infrastructure” and “provide assistance to enable fisherfolk to mechanise their crafts.” Loans were offered to the fishermen and trawling was encouraged.

In 1961, there were four trawlers, and 4,125 traditional fishing boats.

From 1963-65, cooperatives were created to provide “financial aid and subsidies to fisherfolk”

Most traditional fisherfolk were not interested in these schemes, because their livelihood was self-sustaining. The fish at the time was available in plenty, enough for them to sell and feed their families. They also did not understand the schemes.

The non-Kharvis took advantage of this, and took them up instead.

By the late 1970s, the destructive nature of trawling became apparent. Traditional fisherfolk complained that the method of trawling was wasteful and destructive. Trawling was taking up all the fish, a number of sea creatures were caught as by-catch and treated as “trash fish”, doing it during the fish breeding season was harmful for fish production.

In 1980, there were 1,128 trawlers. And the fisherfolk were going through dire times. During this time, fish export was high. Of the 73000 tonne fish produced in the 1980s, only 10% entered Goan markets.

Now, after many political, social, economic hurdles, the condition of the fisherfolk hasn’t really improved. Their only solace is that the trawlers are not allowed to fish within a 5km zone during the breeding season. Climate change plus the incessant trawling has reduced the quantity of fish in the sea. This, along with continuous displacement of their homes on account of “development projects” has left the traditional fishing communities of the Goa in a rather difficult position.

We had lunch, then packed up and left for Margao.Johnny left for Bombay 🙁 I hope he comes back soon.