A meeting of the office-bearers of various fishermen associations, officers of Coastal Security Police, district police, and Fisheries Department was held at the District Police Office here on Monday. A press release issued by the district police here on Tuesday said that the meeting was chaired by Superintendent of Police Nisha James. The meeting discussed various issues related to the protection of boats and fisheries harbours during the off-season. M.L. Doddamani, Joint Director of Fisheries, informed the meeting that colour coding had been done for all mechanised boats as per instructions of the government. However, colour coding for about 60% of traditional boats was still pending, he said. The Traditional Boat Association informed that the colour coding for all traditional boats would be completed in the next three months. The meeting was informed that biometric cards were ready, but had not been delivered because of incomplete address. The pending biometric cards would be distributed with the help of Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL) by holding camps in fisheries harbours in the next two months. Fishermen coming from other places would be provided with temporary identity cards. The representatives of fishermen associations said that the government should provide AIS transponder systems for installation on the boats as its cost was prohibitive. The meeting informed those who had installed the transponder system to register immediately with the Mercantile Marine Department. The fishermen associations demanded installation of CCTV cameras, high-mast lights and street lamps in the fisheries harbours and jetties as the boats were berthed there during the off-season. The Fisheries Department agreed to take appropriate action on this suggestion. It was decided to install more CCTV cameras on Malpe beach. It was also decided not to allow cooking in boats, repair or welding works related to boats after 6 p.m. at the harbours and jetties. The boats should have only minimum amount of fuel in them when they were berthed. The meeting also decided to have a team comprising officers of Fisheries Department, Coastal Security Police and fishermen for protection of the anchored boats. Lalaji Mendon, Kaup MLA, and Satish Kundar, president of Malpe Fishermen’s Association, were present.
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