Indian Coast Guard is the nodal agency to undertake and coordinate maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) in the Indian Search and Rescue Region. One of the mandated duties of the force is to “provide protection to fishermen including assistance to them at sea while in distress”.
The ongoing fishing holiday period will be utilised by the Indian Coast Guard to educate fishermen on various aspects of safety at sea including their own safety. The Andhra Pradesh Headquarters of Indian Coast Guard (AP) at Visakhapatnam will conduct 110 community interaction programmes (CIP) with the fishermen of Andhra Pradesh so that they can be educated on various aspects, according to Deputy Inspector General A.K. Harbola, Commander, Coast Guard Headquarters (AP), Visakhapatnam.
The CIPs will be conducted at various fishing hamlets till June 15. Commander Harbola said 100 community interactions were conducted during fishing ban period last year.
The CIPs were used as a platform to educate fishermen on a wide range of issues like importance of abstaining from fishing during the ban period.
