[Reader-list] Fishermen come out against potential fishing zone advisory pact

[T Peter]

*Fishermen come out against potential fishing zone advisory pact*

*http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/fishermen-come-out-against-potential-fishing-zone-advisory-pact/article19933858.ece
<http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/fishermen-come-out-against-potential-fishing-zone-advisory-pact/article19933858.ece>*

*Say proposed system will lead to plunder of pelagic fishes by trawlers*

An agreement signed between the Fisheries Department and the Indian
National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad, to help
fishermen locate shoals has run into stiff resistance from traditional
fishers who fear that the proposed satellite-based system would lead to the
plunder of pelagic fishes by trawlers. Fishermen say the potential fishing
zone advisory to be provided by INCOIS was designed to locate shoals beyond
70 nautical miles, outside their operational zone. They allege that the
facility had proved to be useless during the pilot phase of the project
last year. “Most of the fishers had returned the handsets equipped with
mobile apps,” a press note issued by the Friends of Marine Life (FML) said.
Another limitation of the technology was that it could not identify the
species. “Traditional fishers use different kinds of nets for different
species,” says Robert Panipilla, chief coordinator, FML.

Fishermen fear that big trawlers would use the PFZ advisory to scoop up
pelagic fishes using destructive practices like pair trawling. This, they
say, would lead to the fast decline of fish stocks. Secretary, National
Fishworkers Forum (NFF), T. Peter said the traditional fishing sector was
concerned about the absence of stakeholder consultation on the project. He
said any attempt to impose a bureaucratic decision on fishermen would be
opposed.

*Ocean state forecast*

The NFF, however, has hailed the government move to provide ocean state
forecast and deploy automated vessel tracking system to enhance safety at
sea. The government claims that the PFZ advisory would help fishermen home
in on fish shoals without wasting time and fuel. Under the agreement,
INCOIS will generate the advisories and issue weather warnings while the
State government has opened talks with the Indian Space Research
Organisation to use its transponders for dissemination of information among
fishers.

*Species-specific advisory*

Head, Information Service and Ocean Science, INCOIS, Balakrishnan Nair said
the project would seek to fine-tune the PFZ system for Kerala. He said
efforts were on to come up with a species-specific advisory. The feedback
from fishermen would also be used to fine-tune the data output.

INCOIS uses satellite data on sea surface temperature and chlorophyll to
identify potential fishing zones. Provided in local language, PFZ maps and
text provide information on location and depth of shoals and the distance
and direction from prominent sites like harbours and lighthouses. PFZ
advisories are disseminated through electronic display boards, telephone,
e-mail, website, mobile apps, and various news media. The satellite-based
system is also used to issue early warning about adverse weather conditions
like high winds, rain, and cyclonic conditions.