Traditional fishermen were all smiles on Thursday as they netted a bumper catch of seasonal (solar) prawns and are hopeful of good catches in the next couple of days, till the mechanised boats or trawlers venture out into the sea. All along the coastal belt of Salcete, Mormugao, there were jubilations as traditional canoes owned by fishermen which had ventured out in the sea came back with good catch of the solar shrimps on Wednesday afternoon. Fisherman Leo Fernandes from Waddi, Benaulim, disclosed that he netted around 500 kg of solar shrimps today with his canoe. He said that as many as 150-200 canoes were in the sea, today, all along the coast and all seem to have had a varying catch, “some must have netted even a tonne or more today, it all depends on luck”. “In my estimation, traditional fishermen netted almost 50 tonnes of solar shrimps today,” he said. He further informed that while some baskets of prawns were sold to the locals at the rate of 2,500 per basket to sell in the villages or market most of the catch was purchased by canning agents. At the main Benaulim beach, Philip Fernandes was a satisfied fisherman. There was hope and glint in his eyes. “Almost 30 fishermen from this beach got a catch of prawns in tonnes, I did not see any of the canoes that had gone to sea today coming back empty”. He added further that the government should extend the fishing ban so that the fish becomes big, otherwise trawlers will start fishing and destroy the young fish. Philip also said most of the prawns were bought by the agents and some were sold to locals for 130 per kg. He said that they have the sea for themselves for another two-three days to earn some money then the trawlers come within the banned limit of the shore and deny us any catch.
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