There is simmering discontent off the shores of Goa as traditional fishermen have raised vociferous opposition to the deployment of powerful LED lights by trawler boats. These bright artificial illumination systems, they allege, are indiscriminately luring and vacuuming up a wide range of marine species and rapidly depleting fish stock. The bone of contention is the use of excessive LED lights by larger trawlers to attract entire shoals of fish towards the water surface at night. Traditional fishermen, employing more sustainable pole and line methods, claim this practice is disrupting the ecological balance and jeopardising their livelihoods. In fact, a High Court-directed inspection report by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) has exposed rampant and almost criminal violations by fishing vessels at Cutbona, Malim and Vasco
