Following the demand put forth by various local self-government bodies, including the Kozhikode Corporation, the district administration has decided to introduce a proper mechanism to check the health condition of fishers who come back to the district from other States.

Fishermen from other States and districts will now have to complete a mandatory self-registration process on the COVID-19 Jagratha portal. The Fisheries Department will look into the details entered on the portal and take appropriate follow-up measures to monitor their health.

Decisions have also been taken to issue identity cards for such registered individuals. Entry of fishers from other districts and States without the registration process will be treated as an illegal activity.

The coastal police and the marine enforcement squad of the Fisheries Department will carry out surprise inspections to ensure that migrant fishers are complying with the rules. Boat owners too will be responsible for verifying registration details of fishers.

According to Station House Officers of various coastal police stations, the details of the majority of fishers who either stayed back in the district or left for home by special trains are with them for proper verification. New entrants to the field can be easily traced by verifying these records, which were collected for the purpose of issuing identity cards, they say.

Fisheries Department officials say the new regulations are meant for effectively preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the coastal areas.