Only about 15% of the fishing trawlers in Maharashtra have the devices that would help the fishing community as well as security agencies in times of distress. As an alternative, QR-code-based Aadhar has been issued to the fishermen.
As per the data, till August 2022, there were 21,423 fishing vessels. Of these, 17,460 were mechanised fishing trawlers and 3,963 non-mechanised vessels registered in Maharashtra. Only 518 have Vessel Tracking System (VTS) and 2,664 have Distress Alert Transmitters (DAT) in the seven coastal districts of Maharashtra and none in the districts of Mumbai Suburban, Raigad, Thane and Palghar vessels have Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders.
The high cost of VTS, DAT and AIS devices is what discourages fishing community from buying them. The government has been launching campaigns regularly to convince the fisher folk to get the devices. “These devices are for their own safety.
During a cyclonic storm, it will help in ascertaining their location for the rescue team to save their lives,” said Dr Atul Patne, Commissioner of Fisheries. The Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Navy too have been pressing for this equipment to be there on the boats. However, the regulations have not yet made it mandatory to have it on board.