Panaji: Nearly 25% of trawlers at Cutbona Jetty remain anchored as the post-monsoon fishing season gets underway due to a shortage of labour, with several migratory workers failing to report for duty after being offered better returns by boat owners in neighbouring states.A coalition of boat owners’ associations and labour representatives will meet on Tuesday to discuss changes to labour agreements and compensation models and address the shortage affecting the fishing industry.TOI had reported on Aug 31 that several boat owners had travelled to Odisha and Jharkhand to recruit crew members as they struggled to staff their vessels. However, many returned without workers after some of those recruited were allegedly poached by boat owners in other states before they could reach Goa.“Boat owners in Karnataka offer a percentage system—the more fish you catch, the more you earn,” D’Silva told TOI. “Here, we traditionally pay fixed monthly salaries. When catches are good, the percentage model is far more lucrative for workers. On top of that, harbours in Karnataka deploy dedicated shore teams for heavy loading and unloading, whereas in Goa, the boat crews are forced to do all that labour themselves.”In Goa, monthly earnings vary depending on the vessel and the worker’s role. Crew members earn around Rs 14,000-20,000 a month, while experienced workers on successful vessels can reportedly earn Rs 25,000 or more.Boat owners said better incentives and working conditions at ports in neighbouring states were contributing to the shortage in Goa. An estimated 75% to 80% of the local fleet is currently operating with reduced crews.Goa Boat Owners Association, Vasco, chairperson Jose Felipe Dsouza said, “Those who own seven boats are only running three; those with four are running just two. Across centres like Vasco and Panaji, not even 80% of the fleet is operational. The fisheries secretary has therefore called all boat owners for a meeting at the secretariat to discuss these issues.”
