Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Nov 28: A delegation representing fishermen from Karnataka visited Goa and held talks with ministers and officials there on Tuesday November 27. Sources in the delegation said that their talks were fruitful and they were able to convince Goa, which had blocked import of fish from Karnataka on the allegation of use of chemical preservative, to lift the ban.

The delegation held discussions with Goa speaker, Pramod Sawant, health minister, Vishwajit P Rane, fisheries minister, Vinod Paliencar, chief secretary and secretary.

Goan government however has placed conditions like vehicles bringing in fish should be insulated ones and they should possess certificate from FSSAI. The Goan government has also instructed its departments to release fishing trucks which were withheld in the state.

Fish vendors from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Uttara Kannada districts have been permitted to sell fish in Goa.

The delegation, led by MP, Nalin Kumar Kateel and leader of the opposition in the legislative council, Kota Srinivas Poojary, had MLAs, Raghupati Bhat, D Vedavyas Kamath, and Dr Bharat Shetty, apart from Dinakar Shetty, fisheries leader, Ropali Naik, Trawl Boat Association president, Nitin Kumar, Fishermen's Federation president, Yashpal Suvarna, Purse Seine Fishermen's Association president, Mohan Bengre, Manohar Boloor, and several others as members.

Yashpal Suvarna said that the Goa government, which understood the ground reality, promised to sort out the issue within two days and pave way for free sale of fish. It also agreed to sort out its differences with Karwar region within a week, he added.