Director of Fisheries in Karnataka Ramacharya has stressed the importance of two-way communication technology, saying scores of lives are lost at sea every year due to the unavailability of modern connectivity technologies, such as satellite-based navigation systems. Participating in the virtual summit on ‘Criticality of Transforming Fisheries Industry: Ushering Digitization to Support PMMSY,’ organised by India’s premier news agency, United News of India, here on Tuesday, Mr Ramacharya said the two-way communication technology connects fishermen with mobile devices, offering timely SoS alerts and harvesting predictions, to ensure better catches and safety while at sea. The top official said he is hopeful of installing the two-way security system in all the boats in the state by next year. He expressed satisfaction over the Satellite-based BSNL-Skylo 2-way Communication technology, saying now from his office, he can spot all the fishing boats venturing in the sea. Mr Ramacharya further said that a small section of people practising illegal marine fishing were scared of the two-way technology, as they could not hide their illegal work. Fishermen’s life is precious, he said and appealed to the fishermen to get rid of such practices. Karnataka has an area of 320 km coastal area and as many as 13500 motorised and mechanised boats are operating daily. The fishing boats are going up to 200 nautical miles far from here. Some are going up to the Kerala shores, Gujarat coast and even reaching till Andaman islands.