1 week ago
Unsafe Fishing Practices Drive Andhra Pradesh Boat Mishaps
Some fishing boats in Andhra Pradesh are getting into trouble at sea because important safety rules are not always followed.
Some fishermen switch off tracking devices so others cannot find their fishing locations.
Others worry that the devices use too much battery power.
Some boats do not carry enough life jackets, life buoys or communication equipment.
Storms and sudden changes in the sea can also make fishing dangerous.
Fish moving into deeper water may lead fishermen farther from the coast.
Officials want tracking devices to stay on during the entire voyage.
They also want better batteries, safety checks, training and emergency equipment.
Fishermen’s representatives have suggested solar power and satellite phones for boats.
Authorities cite switched-off transponders, unsafe boats and missing safety gear as major risks.
Andhra Pradesh has 23,842 motorised or mechanised boats, but only 7,892 have installed transponders.
Battery limitations, poor communications, severe weather, fires and unskilled crews also contribute to mishaps.
Officials want continuous transponder use, safety checks, awareness programs and stronger emergency-response systems.
Fishermen’s representatives proposed solar power and satellite phones to address tracking and communication problems.
- Who
- Fishermen, fisheries authorities and fishermen’s cooperative representatives in Andhra Pradesh.
- What
- Authorities reviewed repeated fishing-boat mishaps and identified safety, tracking, communication and weather-related risks.
- Where
- At sea off Andhra Pradesh, including near the Visakhapatnam coast and in the Bay of Bengal.
- When
- The review followed a series of mishaps and the recent disappearance of seven fishermen; the article reports 248 Andhra Pradesh fishermen’s deaths from 2020 to 2026.
- Why
- Risks include switched-off transponders, battery limitations, unsafe or poorly equipped boats, severe weather, low-pressure zones, fires and inadequate crew skills.
Authorities’ assessment
Fishermen’s representatives’ concerns
Why transponders are switched off
Authorities’ assessment
Fisheries authorities say switching off transponders creates a tracking and emergency-response gap.
Fishermen’s representatives’ concerns
The report says some fishermen switch them off to prevent others from identifying locations where they found large catches.
Power supply solutions
Authorities’ assessment
Authorities recommend high-capacity batteries, longer-duration power solutions and alternative power sources so transponders remain active throughout voyages.
Fishermen’s representatives’ concerns
Fishermen’s representative B. Ranga Rao proposed providing solar power to boats to reduce battery problems.
Emergency communications
Authorities’ assessment
Authorities called for stronger use of communication devices, distress-alert procedures and emergency-response training.
Fishermen’s representatives’ concerns
Fishermen’s representatives proposed satellite phones for fishing boats, citing their use in Tamil Nadu.
Key facts
- Fishing boats
- Andhra Pradesh has nearly 23,842 motorised or mechanised boats.
- Transponders
- The central government allocated transponders to 8,305 boats; 7,892 have been installed and 413 remain.
- Transponder cost
- Each satellite-based transponder is valued at ₹38,000 and is provided free under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana.
- Reported fatalities
- The article lists 248 deaths of Andhra Pradesh fishermen from 2020 to 2026.
- Marine production
- Andhra Pradesh’s marine fish production is reported at 6 lakh metric tonnes, placing it fourth in India.
- Tracking range
- The transponders can track boats up to 200 nautical miles within the exclusive economic zone.
- Safety objective
- Authorities aim for zero loss of life at sea through technology, safety standards and field-level monitoring.
Quotes
Dr Sankara Rao
Additional director of fisheries in Andhra Pradesh
“We have submitted a report to the government to provide solar power to the boats to avoid power issues for transponders -- similar to the practice in Karnataka -- and also to provide satellite phones to the fishing boats like in Tamil Nadu so that they may help safe voyage in the sea.”
deccanchronicle.com
“We are intensifying our efforts to sensitize fishermen to continuously use transponders while on sea voyage, carry safety gear and seek help of the rescue agencies in case of emergency.”
deccanchronicle.com
Sources
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