Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced the deployment of drones to curb illegal fishing, including the destructive practice of bull trawling, along the state’s coastline. Responding to Independent MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco’s allegations of a nexus between fisheries officials and bull trawlers, Sawant detailed ongoing enforcement measures during a legislative assembly session.

Bull trawling, where two boats drag a large net across the seabed, harms marine ecosystems and juvenile fish. Sawant noted that trawlers from Maharashtra often encroach into Goa’s waters, sometimes unintentionally. The Fisheries Department has cracked down, recently seizing 17-18 boats and arresting crew members with coastal police assistance.

“Drones will enhance surveillance by capturing photographs,” Sawant said, emphasizing their role in monitoring illegal activities like bull trawling and the prohibited use of LED lights to attract fish. Fisheries Minister Nilkant Halarnkar revealed that drone trials, capable of covering 20 km at sea, have been conducted for three months, with full deployment imminent to strengthen coastal oversight.

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