‘Mid-sea carrier mother vessel’ for Kanyakumari first

In an effort to streamline deep sea fishing, especially near the Indo-Lankan International Maritime Boundary Line, the State government has proposed to implement the ‘mid-sea carrier mother vessel’ scheme in Kanyakumari district in the first phase.

According to the plan, the mother vessel would collect fish from ‘baby vessels’ in high seas and help in their preservation and storage until their delivery at shore.

The Fisheries Department has issued a tender notice to shortlist a mid-sea carrier mother vessel operator, who has handled a modern fish carrier vessel of at least 50-tonne capacity. The mother vessel would operate in about 50-100 nautical miles from Kanyakumari shore.

After the tender process, the operator would deploy a minimum of two fish carrier vessels for two years initially after obtaining licence from Mercantile Marine Department.

The vessels are expected to collect food and water from the respective fishermen’s representative at shore and deliver at sea, supply ice and collect the catch.