Fishermen from State hauled up in Panjim

Fish worth lakhs of rupees and five fishing trawlers belonging to fishermen from Mangalore and Malpe were reportedly “taken away” by Panjim fishermen, here on Monday.

Armed with long sticks, Panjim fishermen came to the Mangalore fishermen (at least 50) who were fishing in the Arabian Sea and took them away to their port. They have been hauled up over there.

“The local fishermen got into our boats and said they would not attack us,” a trawler fisherman told Deccan Herald.

Banned

According to him, the fishermen further said that fishing activities using speed boats were banned there.

They said they wanted to talk to the boat owners, before they released all the fishermen. But they are “stealing” the fish collected in the boats, he said.

There has been no help from the Goa Coastal Guard police, it is said. This compounded their problems, the fisherman said.