Panaji: Nearly two-and-a-half months after the annual fishing ban was lifted, Goa’s fishing industry is yet to return to full-scale operations, with a persistent labour shortage leaving several trawlers anchored at jetties across the state.“We didn’t have such a crisis even during the Covid-19 period,” said Jose Philip D’Souza, president of the Goa Fishing Boat Owners Association (GFBOA).Fishing operators estimate that around 80% of the fleet has resumed operations, while the remaining 10-20% is still idle due to a lack of manpower. The shortage has particularly affected fishing jetties in Vasco, Panaji and Betul, where operators are struggling to recruit enough workers to take their boats out to sea.“I have two boats, but I have managed to get workers for only one. The other remains anchored. Similarly, an owner who has three boats may have two operating while the third remains idle,” D’Souza said.Depending on the vessel and its operations, each boat typically requires around 25 to 30 workers to handle nets, haul the catch and unload fish.Operators across Goa said many workers who previously worked on their vessels had moved to other coastal states, including Karnataka and Kerala, leaving local boat owners struggling to fill vacancies. The shortage has persisted despite efforts to attract workers through salaries and other incentives.Apart from the labour shortage, operators have raised concerns over inadequate infrastructure and poor maintenance at fishing jetties.“Toilet facilities at the Vasco fishing jetty, whose construction began around two years ago, remain incomplete despite govt expenditure on the project. The issue had been raised with the fisheries department and the chairperson of the organisation responsible for the toilet facility. Yet, the facility remains incomplete,” a boat operator from Vasco said.Other operators complained about poor upkeep at the jetties, alleging that inadequate cleaning had led to unhygienic conditions and a persistent foul smell.“The Malim jetty is frequently cleaned and maintained, but this luxury is not extended to the rest of the fishing jetties. It took a dengue outbreak at Cutbona for authorities to take up cleanliness work at the Betul jetty. Fishing associations have to spend their own money to get the work done. Some jetties become so dirty post-monsoon that the stench makes it difficult to even stand there,” said another boat owner.
