An agreement signed between the Fisheries Department and the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad, to help fishermen locate shoals has run into stiff resistance from traditional fishers who fear that the proposed satellite-based system would lead to the plunder of pelagic fishes by trawlers.
Fishermen say the potential fishing zone advisory to be provided by INCOIS was designed to locate shoals beyond 70 nautical miles, outside their operational zone. They allege that the facility had proved to be useless during the pilot phase of the project last year. “Most of the fishers had returned the handsets equipped with mobile apps,” a press note issued by the Friends of Marine Life (FML) said.
Another limitation of the technology was that it could not identify the species. “Traditional fishers use different kinds of nets for different species,” says Robert Panipilla, chief coordinator, FML.
Fishermen fear that big trawlers would use the PFZ advisory to scoop up pelagic fishes using destructive practices like pair trawling. This, they say, would lead to the fast decline of fish stocks.
Secretary, National Fishworkers Forum (NFF), T. Peter said the traditional fishing sector was concerned about the absence of stakeholder consultation on the project. He said any attempt to impose a bureaucratic decision on fishermen would be opposed.
Ocean state forecast
The NFF, however, has hailed the government move to provide ocean state forecast and deploy automated vessel tracking system to enhance safety at sea.
The government claims that the PFZ advisory would help fishermen home in on fish shoals without wasting time and fuel. Under the agreement, INCOIS will generate the advisories and issue weather warnings while the State government has opened talks with the Indian Space Research Organisation to use its transponders for dissemination of information among fishers.
Species-specific advisory
Head, Information Service and Ocean Science, INCOIS, Balakrishnan Nair said the project would seek to fine-tune the PFZ system for Kerala. He said efforts were on to come up with a species-specific advisory. The feedback from fishermen would also be used to fine-tune the data output.
INCOIS uses satellite data on sea surface temperature and chlorophyll to identify potential fishing zones. Provided in local language, PFZ maps and text provide information on location and depth of shoals and the distance and direction from prominent sites like harbours and lighthouses.
PFZ advisories are disseminated through electronic display boards, telephone, e-mail, website, mobile apps, and various news media.
The satellite-based system is also used to issue early warning about adverse weather conditions like high winds, rain, and cyclonic conditions.
