Goa mulls 50% subsidy on fish for local consumers

Ordering a fillet of Kingfish or buying popular fishes raw and whole could soon burn a much smaller hole in a common Goan's pocket, with the state government mulling a 50 per cent subsidy on fish purchased for household consumption.

Speaking to IANS on Thursday, State Fisheries Minister Vinod Palyekar said while cheaper fish would be ordered from other states through a proposed fisheries corporation, the state government would also put restrictions on export of fish from Goa, to make more of it available locally.

"We will import cheap fish available elsewhere and give to people at a cheaper rate. If a Kingfish costs Rs 500 (per kilo), we will offer it at half the rate. A corporation will also be formed to disburse the fish," Palyekar said.

Overkill of fish for export and to cater to the hospitality industry in the tourism-oriented state, pollution as well as rising sea temperatures have resulted in a fish famine of sorts in the waters off Goa, driving prices of locally consumed staple fish through the roof.

Fish is a favourite dish of the state and is much sought after in the tourism belt, which is frequented by more than four million tourists every year.

Availability of cheap fish had been the poll plank of several political parties like the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party and the Goa Forward ahead of the February 4 state assembly polls.

More than a third of the one lakh tonne of fish catch hauled off Goa is exported, according to the Fisheries Department statistics.

Palyekar said that a crackdown on export of fish caught in Goa was on the cards.

"It is a fact that Goans do not get cheap fish. While we cannot allow excessive export of fish, the local population is also deprived of fish from their own waters. The crackdown on export will begin soon," Palyekar said.

--IANS

maya/nir/bg