The Fisheries Department has provided 16 satellite phones for the benefit of deep sea fishermen in Nagapattinam district.
Two satellite phones have been provided for each of the eight clusters of deep sea fishing boats, Joint Director of Fisheries Amal Raj Xavier said. A cluster will have a minimum of 10 mechanised vessels. Within each cluster, communication from one boat to another will be carried out through VHF (Very High Frequency) sets, he said.
The satellite phones, each costing ₹1 lakh, have been provided free of cost to the deep-sea fishermen venturing up to 200 nautical miles from the coastline.
In the next phase, the department will be providing satellite phones to more number of deep-sea fishermen through a subsidy scheme implemented by Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) under which a beneficiary fisherman will be required to cough up 25% of the cost.
State-wise, 160 satellite phones have been provided to 80 clusters of deep sea fishermen free of cost. The Fisheries Department intends to distribute 500 more satellite phones under the MPEDA scheme to deep sea fishermen along the State's coastline, it is learnt.
Tamil Nadu is the first State to have secured the consent of the Ministry of Home Affairs for distribution of the satellite phones to deep sea fishermen.
The State government took the initiative after the Ockhi cyclone two years back which claimed lives of more than 200 fishermen. Ockhi was an unusual cyclone as it intensified within 24 hours and moved in an unusual path.
The government has given administrative sanction for ₹3.10 crore from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to the Director of Fisheries towards procurement and supply of communications equipment.
Fishermen will be well-prepared and can return to the shores safely owing to the communication link, Mr. Xavier said.
While it is easy for the Fisheries Department to maintain communication with fishers up to 12 nautical miles of tier-1, the challenge was in conveying emergency messages beyond the range.
Henceforth, deep sea fishermen will be in a position to operate up to 200 nautical miles and access the marine wealth along the country's exclusive economic economic zone, Fisheries department officials said.
