MUMBAI: A device, developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), for sending a distress signal when stranded at sea, will be made available to some fishermen in the state by the Coast Guard.
There are 80,000 fishing boats registered in the state and nearly 15,000 set out to sea every day. In the absence of any equipment to send a distress signal, many fishermen drift away and never make it back home.
"Bigger vessels are equipped with the mandatory Global Maritime Distress Safety System which can be used to give a distress signal during bad weather, but smaller vessels don't have this system," said a Coast Guard official.
As a pilot project, the coast guard is giving out 50 units of the Distress Alert Transmitter (DAT). Whenever a fisherman is stranded or at risk, he just needs to press a button on the device and maritime security agencies will receive an alert.
The DAT is not free of cost and the Coast Guard is working with the state fisheries department to make it affordable. "But the onus lies on the fisherman to use the device responsibly," an official said.
Damodar Tandel, president of the Akhil Maharashtra Machhimaar Kruti Samiti, said fishermen were in desperate need of a scientific gadget to send distress signals. "At present, all we have on our boats is a GPS navigator and a 'Fish Finder' device. If in distress, our men try to contact their local fishermen's body. But often, they are unable to get through and remain adrift for days. There are numerous cases of fishermen going missing," said Tandel.
The Coast Guard has also been conducting regular sessions in fishing hamlets to educate fishermen on how to be more careful at sea.
Trawlers are also most likely to be used for illegal activity like smuggling of narcotics. "A boat is declared rogue if it cannot produce a licence. But if the crew produces valid identification such as an Aadhar card they are likely to be let off after quizzing," the official added.
There are 80,000 fishing boats registered in the state and nearly 15,000 set out to sea every day. In the absence of any equipment to send a distress signal, many fishermen drift away and never make it back home.
"Bigger vessels are equipped with the mandatory Global Maritime Distress Safety System which can be used to give a distress signal during bad weather, but smaller vessels don't have this system," said a Coast Guard official.
As a pilot project, the coast guard is giving out 50 units of the Distress Alert Transmitter (DAT). Whenever a fisherman is stranded or at risk, he just needs to press a button on the device and maritime security agencies will receive an alert.
The DAT is not free of cost and the Coast Guard is working with the state fisheries department to make it affordable. "But the onus lies on the fisherman to use the device responsibly," an official said.
Damodar Tandel, president of the Akhil Maharashtra Machhimaar Kruti Samiti, said fishermen were in desperate need of a scientific gadget to send distress signals. "At present, all we have on our boats is a GPS navigator and a 'Fish Finder' device. If in distress, our men try to contact their local fishermen's body. But often, they are unable to get through and remain adrift for days. There are numerous cases of fishermen going missing," said Tandel.
The Coast Guard has also been conducting regular sessions in fishing hamlets to educate fishermen on how to be more careful at sea.
Trawlers are also most likely to be used for illegal activity like smuggling of narcotics. "A boat is declared rogue if it cannot produce a licence. But if the crew produces valid identification such as an Aadhar card they are likely to be let off after quizzing," the official added.
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