'Bull trawling' refers to a fishing method where two boats tow a large net between them, dragging it across the seabed to catch fish. The method is considered damaging for the seabed and harmful for juvenile fish
Goa CM Pramod Sawant (above) said that fishing trawlers from neighbouring Maharashtra often enter the state's waters, sometimes unintentionally. File Pic
Drones will be used to keep a watch on illegal fishing activities off the Goa coast, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told the legislative assembly on Wednesday.
Independent MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco raised the issue, alleging that there was a nexus between some fisheries department officials and those involved in bull trawling.
'Bull trawling' refers to a fishing method where two boats tow a large net between them, dragging it across the seabed to catch fish. The method is considered damaging to the seabed and harmful to juvenile fish.
Sawant also said fishing trawlers from neighbouring Maharashtra often enter the state's waters, sometimes unintentionally.
The Fisheries Department is taking action against the trawlers involved in bull trawling and the use of LED lights to attract fish, which is prohibited, he said.
Some 17 or 18 boats were seized recently and crew members arrested by the coastal police, he said, adding that drones would soon be deployed for surveillance. "Drones can take photographs and help the fisheries department monitor the situation," he said.
Fisheries Minister Nilkant Halarnkar told the House that his department has already conducted trials of drone surveillance for three months. "These drones can fly up to 20 km over the sea," he said
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