Fishermen denounce government's alleged decision to revive Nauxi Marina | Goa News

Panjim: Traditional fishermen have expressed strong objections to the so-called revival of the AHOY Marina project in Nauxi by the state government. The All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union (AGSSRFU), which represents traditional fishermen, has slammed luxury yacht promoters participating in the Goa International Boat Show in Panaji.

The union claimed that during the event, the developers revealed that they were working with the Goa government to establish marinas at various ports and jetties as part of a blue economy initiative. The AGSSRFU disagreed, citing potential negative impacts.

“Is the government betraying Goa’s traditional artisanal fishing communities?” The claim that marina and fishing coexist is just a misleading rhetoric meant to mislead the people of Goa,” he said. The union also alleged that certain “vested interests” aim to destroy Goa’s maritime economy, particularly targeting small-scale fishing communities.

The AGSSRFU sees the promotion of a marina in Nauxi as an attempt to displace fishing communities by taking over the Zuari coast.

“This project will cause irreparable damage to the environment and affect our livelihoods. Mandovi is totally polluted and now they want to destroy the Zuari. We want this project to be abandoned as soon as possible,” said fisherman Sanjay Pereira from Cacra.

The union said it had submitted objections to the authorities concerned against the marinas. He raised concerns about various water sports activities, arguing that they negatively affected artisanal fishing communities. The union opposes water sports in Zuari, offshore casinos, water sports in Mandovi and water sports in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Caranzalem.