Traditional fishermen alleged that mini-per seine boats and trawlers are carrying out fishing in a rampant manner along the coast of River Zuari with nets of less than 5 mm size that leads to catching of tiny fish of different types that is either discarded or sold as fertilizer. Citing Earth Charter’s principle 15 ©, which stresses on avoiding or eliminating to the full extent possible the taking or destruction of non-targeted species, fishermen under the banner of Bharat Mukti Morcha, Goa unit has demanded fisheries department to limit the fishing net size from 5 mm to 25 mm which will enable the tiny fishes to escape from the nets. This is gross insult to fish-eating people in Goa and body blow to the eco-system of Zuari river, states a letter which has been written by the fishermen to the directorate of fisheries recently. Traditional fishermen from Odxel, Cacra, Nauxi, Bambolim, Siridao, and Curca villages whose daily bread and butter depends on fishing with small canoes along the coast of river alleged that illegal fishing has been carried out by trawlers which is harming the ecological balance of the marine resources in the Zuari river and they fear that it may result in fish disappearing from people’s plate. Fishermen claimed that as many as 255 mini-per seine boats and trawlers in the month of November, December 2016 and 31 trawlers in the month of January 2017 have carried out fishing illegally in the river. The mechanised trawlers carry fishing activity within 100 metres off the coast although they are strictly prohibited from fishing within five kilometres off the shore, said Sanjay Pereira, local fishermen from Cacra village. Maggie Silveira, president of Bharat Mukti Morcha said that fisheries department has not taken any steps to defend the eco system of Zuari river and when the issues are raised by the fishermen community, it is being suppressed by political interference. There is no cooperation from the officials of the fisheries department when fishermen report about the violations. Officials on many occasions give excuses that their patrolling boats are not working hence, they can’t take appropriate action, said Silveira. When contacted, fisheries department officials accepted that at some places violations of the guidelines laid by the department are being done and the department has intensified the patrolling at those places. They said that some of the trawlers are 35-40 years old which can’t be taken to deep sea for fishing as there is danger that the trawler may capsize hence; they have no options other than fishing close to the shore. In order to resolve this issue, the department has asked the owners whose mini-per seine boats and trawlers are 35-40 years old to replace them with new ones. Our department will soon put a proposal before the government to provide financial assistance as most of them are economically backward, the entire process may take at least 12 months, said an official who did not like to be named. The official said that there may be cases of trawlers operating in fishing activity illegally with 5 mm net but as per the guidelines the department allows 20 mm to 24 mm of net size for mini-per seine boats and trawlers for fishing small to medium size fishes. Meanwhile, the fishing community has threatened to agitate at the fisheries department if the concerned officials fail to protect the interest of traditional fishermen and initiate action immediately against the illegal fishing activity in Zuari river.