MARGAO, May 20 -- Team Herald

With the monsoon season commencing, traditional fishermen from Benaulim are renewing their appeal for a portion of land at the now-defunct prawn hatchery to berth their country-made fishing vessels and store nets.

They are demanding that the government allocate 5,000 square metres from the 52,000 square metre properties currently under the Fisheries Department. The fishermen claim the rising sea levels make it unsafe to park their vessels along the shoreline, and private property owners have objected to boats being placed on their land.

"Some of our boats were removed after complaints. With our homes located over a kilometre from the beach, we have no safe and accessible place to keep our boats during the ...