Panaji: Fishing operations across Goa are at risk of coming to a halt due to a prolonged shortage of commercial gas cylinders, according to representations submitted by fishing bodies to the civil supplies department.In separate letters dated March 24, the Mandovi Fishermen Marketing Cooperative Society and the All Goa Purse-Seiners Boat Owners Association highlighted that they have not received adequate supplies of cylinders for nearly 20 days, severely affecting their ability to carry out deep-sea fishing.
The Mandovi Fishermen Marketing Cooperative Society, based at Malim Jetty in Betim, stated that it has around 275 fishing trawlers, including 125 deep-sea vessels. Each of these vessels typically carries 30-35 crew members and undertakes fishing trips lasting eight to twelve days. For each trip, they require four to five gas cylinders to sustain cooking needs onboard.The society said the lack of supply has left them without sufficient cylinders to equip their trawlers. It also noted that alternatives such as induction or diesel stoves are not viable for use at sea and pose safety concerns.Warning of serious consequences, the society said that if the situation persists, fishing operations may have to be suspended, leading to a shortage of fish in local markets.A similar letter was submitted to civil supplies department by the All Goa Purse-Seiners Boat Owners Association, which represents around 450 purse-seiner trawlers operating from three major jetties — Malim, Vasco, and Cutbona. The association said it has also been facing a complete halt in the supply of commercial cylinders for the past 20 days, and while operators have managed to cope temporarily, they warned that continuing operations without a steady supply of cylinders will not be possible for long.Both bodies have therefore urged the director of civil supplies in Panaji to intervene immediately and restore the supply of commercial gas cylinders to ensure that fishing activities continue without interruption. Any disruption to their operations, they said, would result in a significant scarcity of fish across the state.
