Fishing For Trouble

Goa’s ban on fish imports over suspicion of contamination sparks protests in Karnataka.

- Aravind Gowda

About 300,000 fishermen in coastal Karnataka are being forced to sell their catch at throwaway prices—just Rs 500 for a kilo of pomfret that used to fetch Rs 1,200 just two weeks ago. Their distress is driven by the Goa government’s unilateral decision to ban fish imports from six coastal states, including Karnataka, following complaints of formaldehyde contamination.

Agitated fisherfolk in Karnataka are blocking the transportation of other commodities—fresh vegetables, fruits and milk—crucial to Goa’s thriving tourism industry, which is currently in peak season. This is because many Karnataka fishermen rely on export-oriented fisheries units located mostly in Goa.

The situation nearly sparked a confrontation between protesting fishermen picketing interstate checkpoints and the police on November 18. It forced the Karnataka government to step in with assurances that the issue would be taken up with the Goa state government.