Fisheries dept to hire harbour rescue squad

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The fisheries department will hire the service of 12 persons from the district, who are trained and experienced in marine rescue missions, to work in its rescue boats during the trawling ban from June 9 to July 31.
As small boats usually venture into the sea violating trawling ban, the chances of accidents at sea are high during this period. The marine rescue guards will be deployed on the fisheries department’s three boats off Vizhinjam coast, and they will be given a wage of Rs 900 per day.
The applicants should be over 20 years and must have completed marine rescue training at Goa National Institute of Water Sports or at any other similar recognized institutes. Preference will be given to those who are experienced in earlier rescue missions.
“These people are hired as part of the fisheries department’s efforts to develop a ‘harbour rescue squad’. Those who excel in rescue missions will be included in the squad to make use of their service in emergencies in the future,” said an official of the fisheries department.
The department had sent as many as 1,014 people, including fishermen, for training in Goa National Institute of Water Sports for training on rescue missions. Of the 1,014 people, 718 have completed training and 296 people are undergoing training now.
“Among those who have completed training can apply for this job,” the official said. The department will not provide any kind of training for the applicants further. Recruited persons can join on duty directly, he said. This is for the first time that the fisheries department is venturing into such an initiative.
The department is also forming a 'fishermen rescue squad' by including fishermen who are experienced in rescue missions as well. Interested people can apply by sending bio data to the office of the assistant director of fisheries, fisheries station, Vizhinjam before May 20.