1,058 transponders will be installed, in the first phase, in mechanised and motorised fishing boats operating in Visakhapatnam district, says Collector
‘Fishermen will be told about the application of transponders and the way to send alerts, and other aspects of space technologies’
District Collector M.N. Harendhira Prasad going round the exhibits on display at the Museum at the Fisheries Survey of India in Visakhapatnam on Friday.
| Photo Credit: V. RAJU
District Collector M.N. Harendhira Prasad has said that 1,058 transponders will be installed, in the first phase, in mechanised and motorised fishing boats operating in the district, and in subsequent phases they will be provided to all boats operating in the district.
The Collector participated as the chief guest at a workshop on “Application of space technology in fisheries sector”, organised by the Zonal Base of Fishery Survey of India, Visakhapatnam, as part of the forthcoming National Space Day celebrations, on the Beach Road here on Friday.
Speaking at the inaugural function, Mr. Prasad said that the fishermen would be told about the application of transponders, and the way to send alerts and, other aspects of space technologies. He said that August 23 was declared as National Space Day to commemorate the success of the Chandrayaan-3 Mission, which achieved a safe and successful landing on the moon, on August 23, 2023.
FSI Centre Head D. Bhami Reddy said that FSI has research vessels to estimate the availability of fish resources at various depths and to make stock assessment. The space technologies would be useful in the conduct of surveys by the FSI. Similarly, fishermen facing adverse conditions, when they go out for fishing, could seek help.
Mr. Bhami Reddy explained that the transponders would facilitate two-way communication. Already around 10 transponders have been installed on an experimental basis in Visakhapatnam and soon every boat would be equipped with it. The fishermen could communicate with the shore in Telugu. The system would issue warning alerts, when the boat was close to the international boundaries. This would prevent fishermen from crossing international borders unknowingly and falling into troubles.
Joint Director of Fisheries G. Vijaya said that the cost of each transponder was ₹45,000. The cost would be shared by the Central and the State governments, and the equipment would be given free of cost to the fishermen. The boats could be tracked from the control room and the Fisheries Department could inform various agencies, if the fishermen were in distress.
Scientist In charge of CIFT U. Sreedhar participated in the programme. Earlier, Junior Fisheries Scientist G.V.A. Prasad welcomed the gathering. G. Sai Ram Krishan, Scientist-D, SAC, Ahmedabad, presented a PowerPoint presentation on the activities of ISRO, applications of transponders on fishing vessels and its advantages through videoconferencing.
Later, a live demonstration of transponder was made by Gajanan Prasad Yadav, Senior Engineer, M/s Avantel Ltd., Visakhapatnam.
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